Photoelectric Effect after Passing through Double Slit

In summary, the conversation discusses the effects of using a detector to detect which slit a photon passes through in a double slit experiment. It is noted that the interference pattern on the screen is destroyed when the detector is used, and the photon exhibits particle properties instead. The question is raised whether the original frequency of the photon is intact when it strikes the screen, and it is clarified that the interference pattern is the result of many photons detected over time. The conversation also mentions the concept of the probability wave function and its relationship to the frequency of the EM wave, but no conclusion is reached.
  • #1
LightNg
Hi,
In a double slit experiment, shooting a photon will produce interference pattern on a screen.

Using a detector to detect which slit the photon passed through will destroy the interference pattern. The photon will pass through only 1 slit, and cause slit pattern on the screen.

The screen detects photon using photoelectric effect, but since the interference is destroyed, is the original frequency of the photon still in tact? I ask this because the photoelectric effect depends on the frequency of the photon.
 
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  • #2
By the law of conservation of energy, I think the frequency of the photon should be intact.
 
  • #3
LightNg said:
Hi,
In a double slit experiment, shooting a photon will produce interference pattern on a screen.

Using a detector to detect which slit the photon passed through will destroy the interference pattern. The photon will pass through only 1 slit, and cause slit pattern on the screen.

The screen detects photon using photoelectric effect, but since the interference is destroyed, is the original frequency of the photon still in tact? I ask this because the photoelectric effect depends on the frequency of the photon.

You need to back up a bit and present a very important explanation. Why would the frequency of the photon be affected after it passes through the slits, be it both slits, or just one slit?

Zz.
 
  • #4
If the interference pattern disappear, (as in the case of having a detector to detect which slit it pass through), and the photon exhibits particle property now, does the photon still have its frequency intact when it strikes the screen?
 
  • #5
LightNg said:
If the interference pattern disappear, (as in the case of having a detector to detect which slit it pass through), and the photon exhibits particle property now, does the photon still have its frequency intact when it strikes the screen?

As I had guessed, you are confusing the light INTENSITY with energy. Just because it "disappears" at a particular point doesn't mean that its frequency has changed!

Zz.
 
  • #6
LightNg said:
If the interference pattern disappear, (as in the case of having a detector to detect which slit it pass through), and the photon exhibits particle property now, does the photon still have its frequency intact when it strikes the screen?

Hold on. You have misunderstood a key factor here. The interference PATTERN is the result of many photons detected over time. Each photon itself doesn't produce a pattern, only a detection. In the interference pattern, the high amplitude areas are simply areas that we detect the most photons at over time.
 
  • #7
ZapperZ said:
As I had guessed, you are confusing the light INTENSITY with energy. Just because it "disappears" at a particular point doesn't mean that its frequency has changed!

Zz.

This is not about intensity with energy. It is about when the probability wave function collapse, does the frequency of the EM wave still intact? I suppose the answer is yes.

I am not sure if the probability wave has the same frequency as the EM wave, and how 1 affect another.

Hold on. You have misunderstood a key factor here. The interference PATTERN is the result of many photons detected over time. Each photon itself doesn't produce a pattern, only a detection. In the interference pattern, the high amplitude areas are simply areas that we detect the most photons at over time.

I know that one. I guess I need to phrase my question better.
 
  • #8
LightNg said:
This is not about intensity with energy. It is about when the probability wave function collapse, does the frequency of the EM wave still intact? I suppose the answer is yes.

I am not sure if the probability wave has the same frequency as the EM wave, and how 1 affect another.

I have no idea what you just said here. What "collapse" are we talking about that somehow ALTERS the energy/frequency of the photon? In no part of the double slit (i.e. superposition of the PATH that a photon takes through the slit) is there ANY indication of a change in the photon's energy! Yet, you seem to indicate that there is one, especially at the location where the photon underwent a destructive interference. This is puzzling.

Zz.
 

1. What is the photoelectric effect?

The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from a material when it is exposed to light or other electromagnetic radiation.

2. What is the double-slit experiment?

The double-slit experiment is a classic experiment in physics that demonstrates the wave-particle duality of light. It involves shining a beam of light through two parallel slits and observing the resulting interference pattern on a screen.

3. How does the photoelectric effect change when light passes through a double slit?

When light passes through a double slit, the photoelectric effect becomes more complex. Instead of a single beam of light, there are now multiple beams that interfere with each other, creating a more complex interference pattern.

4. What is the significance of the photoelectric effect after passing through a double slit?

The photoelectric effect after passing through a double slit is significant because it provides evidence for the wave-like properties of light. The resulting interference pattern is not consistent with the particle-like behavior of light, further supporting the wave-particle duality.

5. How does the photoelectric effect after passing through a double slit relate to quantum mechanics?

The photoelectric effect after passing through a double slit is one of the key experiments that led to the development of quantum mechanics. It challenged traditional theories of light and matter and provided evidence for the probabilistic nature of quantum particles.

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