The Double slit Experiment with matter waves Repeating the classic double slit e

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The Double slit Experiment with matter waves Repeating the classic double slit experiment with matter particles has been accomplished several times in various ways. For a good history of the experiments with electrons, read www.physicsnutgers eduv-steves/501Minks/double slit experiment pdf That article mentions Feynman's statement about the matter double slit experiment "Most discussions of double-slit experiments with particles refer to Feynman's quote in his lectures: "We choose to examine a phenomenon which is impossible, absolutely impossible, to explain in any classical way, and which has in it the heart of quantum mechanics. In reality, it contains the only mystery." Feynman went on to add We should say right away that you should not try to set up this experiment. This experiment has never been done in just this way The trouble is that the apparatus would have to be made on an impossibly small scale to show the effects we are interested in. The double-slit experiment, and variations, is often used as a tool to explore the particle-wave duality of quantum objects. All experiments performed used light until 1961 when Claus Johnson at Iubingen performed it with electrons. Later, in 1974, Medi at Milan performed the experiment with one electron at a time moving through the system. This experiment was repeated in 1989 at Hitachi by Ionomura with more sensitive detectors and with the same result. Watch the linked video clip to see the result: http://youtube.com/watch?v DfPeprQ7oGc With multiple particles in the system, arguments could be made that the particles were colliding in such a way as to produce the interference pattern. With a single particle, no such argument was possible. [1] With a single particle moving through the system, how can you explain the development of the interference pattern? [2] Between the source and the detector, where must the electron have traveled? [3] When a detector is placed near one slit to detect the electron if it passes through, the double slit pattern collapses and a single slit pattern is seen instead How does this refine your account of what the electron "does as it passes through the system"?

Explanation / Answer

[1] The single particle interferes with itself because it leaves aas a particle from source and then becomes a wave of potentials through both slits and interfere to form an interference pattern on the screen.

[2] the electrons must have travelled to the detector in oorder to form the interference pattern.

[3] double slit collapses because if we place a detector near the slit to check through which the electron is passing,the interference pattern disappears and we are left with only Gaussian scatter distribution.

[4] with no detectors at the slits, the electron can pass through any of them, and produce interference pattern due to superposition of waves.

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