Effect of changing probabilities on interference

[San K]

Let's say we are doing interference experiment via say a Mach-Zehnder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach%E2%80%93Zehnder_interferometer


In the Mach-Zehnder two of the mirrors are half silvered.

The photon has a 50% chance of passing through the half-silvered mirror and 50% chance of being reflected.

1. What happens if we make the mirror 3/4 silvered?

I.e. the photon has 25% chance of passing through and 75% chance of being reflected?

2. What happens if we make the mirror 1/4 silvered?

I.e. the photon has 75% chance of passing through and 25% chance of being reflected?

 

[mfb]

Calculate the amplitudes, add them, square their magnitudes to get the intensities. Which mirror do you want to change in which way? In general, you get different intensities for the detectors if you change those percentages.