The discussion revolves around the number of photons required to produce an interference pattern in a two-mirror interferometer. Participants explore the relationship between individual photons and the accumulation of an interference pattern, touching on concepts related to quantum mechanics and experimental setups.
Participants express differing views on the number of photons required for interference, with some asserting that only one photon is necessary at a time, while others highlight the need for multiple photons to observe the pattern effectively. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the precise nature of photon interference in this context.
Participants do not clarify the assumptions regarding the definitions of interference patterns or the conditions under which the experiments are conducted, leaving some aspects of the discussion open to interpretation.
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?