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Bob8102
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- Number of photons needed to create interference pattern.
If you have, say, a two-mirror interferometer that is producing an interference pattern, how many photons are interfering? Two, or just one?
Only one at a time is needed. The same is true of, say, electrons in the double slit experiment. The current through the slits can be reduced so low that only one electron at a time is passing through the slits. An interference pattern will still be produced, though you still need to accumulate many electrons at the detector over time to build up the observed pattern. After all, a single particle cannot make a pattern.Bob8102 said:If you have, say, a two-mirror interferometer that is producing an interference pattern, how many photons are interfering? Two, or just one?
Interferometry is a scientific technique that involves using the interference of light or other electromagnetic waves to make precise measurements of small distances or changes in distance. It is commonly used in fields such as astronomy, physics, and engineering.
In interferometry, a beam of light is split into two or more beams, which then travel different paths and are recombined. The resulting interference pattern is then analyzed to make measurements or observations about the object or phenomenon being studied.
Interferometry has a wide range of applications, including measuring distances and angles, detecting small changes in distance, creating detailed images of objects, and studying the properties of light and other electromagnetic waves.
Photons, which are particles of light, are essential for interferometry to work. The interference pattern that is created is a result of the interaction of photons with each other and with the objects or materials they encounter along their paths.
The number of photons needed for an interference pattern to form depends on various factors, such as the type of interferometer being used and the sensitivity of the measurement being made. In general, a higher number of photons will result in a clearer and more accurate interference pattern.