The pattern is not just both slits?

[San K]

the interference pattern is not just due to photon passing through both slits?

i read that the interference pattern is such that it is superposition of not just both slits but:

1. both slits and 2. neither slit?

what would be the effect of neither slit? as if it passed through the middle of both slits? or did not pass at all?

 

[soothsayer]

Well, a particle that went through neither slit would not have an effect on the interference pattern, but what you read was probably explaining that, mathematically, the superposition of states corresponding to a double slit experiment is such that you have a superposition of quantum states, where a few outcomes can be considered simultaneously: 1) The particle goes through the right slit 2) The particle goes through the left slit and 3) the particle goes through neither slit.

While the interference pattern you see is a direct consequence of 1 and 2, Quantum Mechanics, along with the information contained in the particle's wavefunction, tells us that 3 is also happening, it just doesn't have any impact on the actual interference pattern.