Particle in a box experiment confirmation

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the experimental validation of the particle in a box model, specifically focusing on the confirmation of electron position probability and momentum spectrum in confined systems. Participants explore the challenges of measuring position compared to energy and reference various experimental setups related to quantum confinement.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about experiments that validate the particle in a box model, particularly regarding electron position probability.
  • One participant notes the difficulty of measuring the position of confined electrons due to momentum uncertainty affecting confinement.
  • Another participant suggests that confirming energy measurements in the particle in a box model may suffice, as knowledge of the wave function in one basis translates to others.
  • A participant asks if there are experiments confirming the momentum spectrum when the particle is sufficiently localized.
  • Several references to experiments involving atoms in optical lattices and trapped ions are provided, although they are not directly related to the particle in a box model.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the existence of experiments specifically confirming electron position probability in the context of the particle in a box model. There are competing views on the necessity of position measurements versus energy confirmations.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in measuring position due to the inherent uncertainties in quantum mechanics, and the discussion reflects a dependency on the definitions and interpretations of quantum confinement.

ftr
Messages
624
Reaction score
47
Is there any experiments that validate the results of particle in a box with infinite or finite potential. Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Thanks. But I was more interested in the confirmation of electron position probability, the article is more about the energy. Also the references are behind a pay wall.
 
Is there something wrong with my question, because I don't get any reply?
 
ftr said:
I was more interested in the confirmation of electron position probability

Measuring the position of confined electrons is a lot more difficult than measuring their energy. For one thing, a sufficiently accurate position measurement at the scales of many such confinement wells for electrons will have enough momentum uncertainty to have a significant chance of kicking the electron out of the confinement well.

Also, if you know the wave function of the electron in the energy basis, you know it in any basis, since switching basis is just a matter of a mathematical transformation. So confirming the predictions of a "particle in a box" model regarding energy measurements is sufficient; you don't need to also test it with position measurements.
 
Thanks, I take that as no (no experiment). Then, Is there any experiment that confirms the momentum spectrum when the particle is sufficiently localized.
 
Not particle-in-a-box per se, but there have been many experiments for atoms trapped in a optical lattice potential or using trapped ions:
P. S. Jessen et al., Observation of quantized motion of Rb atoms in an optical field, Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 49 (1992)
G. Grynberg et al., Quantized motion of cold cesium atoms in two- and three-dimensional optical potentials, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2249 (1993)
D. Leibfried et al., Quantum dynamics of single trapped ions, Rev. Mod. Phys. 75, 281 (2003)
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
1K
  • · Replies 42 ·
2
Replies
42
Views
6K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
3K
  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
9K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K