I The pattern of one photon at a time passing through large-distance setups?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tade
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Photon Time
Click For Summary
The discussion centers on the behavior of photons passing through slits in interference experiments. When a single photon is emitted through a slit or double-slit setup, it interacts with the edges of the slit, leading to a predictable interference pattern over time, similar to that produced by a high-intensity beam. The phase of the wave function, rather than the intensity, determines the resulting pattern on the detector. Although a single photon is detected at a specific point, the collective results of many photons reveal an interference pattern, demonstrating the wave-like nature of light. This interplay between wave behavior and particle detection is a key aspect of quantum mechanics.
  • #31
PeterDonis said:
For a single slit, 3 cm might already be too large to get significant diffraction effects with visible light, since it is about a hundred thousand times larger than the wavelength.
A very wide single slit is simply two instances of edge diffraction, facing each other. If you move the edges closer together, the two edge-diffraction patterns merge in a complicated way. The result has to be calculated using the methods of Fresnel diffraction. When the slit becomes narrow enough, you get the familiar simple single-slit pattern of Fraunhofer diffraction.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
PeterDonis said:
Then you won't see an interference pattern on the detector.No. You still won't see an interference pattern on the detector.See above.
and also, regarding the "bundle of pencils", I'd just like to ask, what are your thoughts on the simplified notion (if I am hopefully allowed to mention this notion, for the purposes of trying to cover the scenario more comprehensively) that making it a "full gushing waterfall" will enable the wave(function)s of the multiple "pencils" to blend together, and thereby resulting in an overall larger "effective width"

So I understand that you've said on this "See above.", relating to the prior answers, though from my perspective, what I'm adding might be a new different line of reasoning, or approaching the scenario from a different viewpoint
 
Last edited:
  • #33
tade said:
what are your thoughts on the simplified notion (if I am hopefully allowed to mention this notion, for the purposes of trying to cover the scenario more comprehensively) that making it a "full gushing waterfall" will enable the wave(function)s of the multiple "pencils" to blend together, and thereby resulting in an overall larger "effective width"
I've already told you: that's not how it works.

tade said:
from my perspective, what I'm adding might be a new different line of reasoning, or approaching the scenario from a different viewpoint
Your perspective is flawed.

You should be spending your time and effort learning the math of QM and how it is used to make predictions. You should not be spending your time trying to dream up ever more elaborate scenarios that are just going to be flawed because you don't understand how QM works. That is not a good use of your time, and it's not a good use of the time of the posters here who are responding to you.
 
  • Like
Likes Motore, DrChinese, vanhees71 and 1 other person

Similar threads

Replies
28
Views
2K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 81 ·
3
Replies
81
Views
7K
  • · Replies 64 ·
3
Replies
64
Views
5K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
2K
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
2K