Superposition of traps (thought experiment)

[PaleMoon]

Hi Pf
Instead of placing a screen on each path of an interometer i propose to place opticz traps.
in both cases it will unable the photon to go further.
i wonder if one on the traps will be heavier or if there will be symmetry (superposition).

 

[BvU]

What interferometer would that be ?

 

[PaleMoon]

it might use a beam splitter but remember that it is only a thought experiment.
It does not matter if there are no sufficiently precise measuring devices. my question is more about pure states or densitu matrices.

 

[PaleMoon]

when we have screens on the paths we only have to open our eyes to see on which sreen the particle was. Suppose now that the traps are on the two paths and also on each side of a roberval balance. Have i only to open my eyes to see in which trap it is?

 

[Nugatory]

it might use a beam splitter but remember that it is only a thought experiment.
It does not matter if there are no sufficiently precise measuring devices. my question is more about pure states or densitu matrices.

[QUOTE="PaleMoon]]when we have screens on the paths we only have to open our eyes to see on which sreen the particle was. Suppose now that the traps are on the two paths and also on each side of a roberval balance. Have i only to open my eyes to see in which trap it is?[/QUOTE]
You will have to describe your setup more clearly before anyone will be able to answer which trap absorbs more light. However, we can say that whatever the result is, it makes no difference whether you open your eyes or not - the balance will measure whatever it measures even if no one ever looks.