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Nature

Wave–particle duality of C60 molecules

Markus Arndt, Olaf Nairz, Julian Voss-Andreae, Claudia Keller, Gerbrand van der Zouw, Anton Zeilinger

Published Oct 1, 1999• 1,240 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1038/44348

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Wave-Particle Duality: A Modern View

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Wave–particle duality is frequently the first topic students encounter in elementary quantum physics. Although this phenomenon has been demonstrated with photons, electrons, neutrons, and atoms, the dual quantum character of the famous double-slit experiment can be best explained with the largest and most classical objects, which are currently the fullerene molecules. The soccer-ball-shaped carbon cages C60 are large, massive, and appealing objects for which it is clear that they must behave like particles under ordinary circumstances. We present the results of a multislit diffraction experiment with such objects to demonstrate their wave nature. The experiment serves as the basis for a discussion of several quantum concepts such as coherence, randomness, complementarity, and wave–particle duality. In particular, the effect of longitudinal (spectral) coherence can be demonstrated by a direct comparison of interferograms obtained with a thermal beam and a velocity selected beam in close analogy to the usual two-slit experiments using light.
Motion of microscopic particles has been a very interesting topic.In order to explain the matter wave diffraction problem better,this paper using the new method of quantum theory to studies the Double-slit diffraction of C60 molecules using the new method of quantum theory.First,solve the Double slit diffraction of C60molecules wave functions by Schrodinger equation.Then calculate the diffraction wave function after the slit of C60 molecules with the Feynman path integral quantum theory.To obtain diffraction wave function of diffraction screen.Finally the analytic relation between the double-slit relative diffraction intensity and diffraction pattern position of C60molecules is obtained.The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental data.This shows that the diffraction microscopic particles need to be studied with quantum theory method completely.This method has universality for the study of the motion of microscopic particles.It also can be used in the study of single slit diffraction, Multi-slit diffraction and grating diffraction for matter wave and other particles.
Abstract Interference of more and more massive objects provides a spectacular confirmation of quantum theory. It is usually regarded as support for “wave–particle duality” and in an extension of this duality even as support for “complementarity”. We first give an outline of the historical development of these notions. Already here it becomes evident that they are hard to define rigorously, i.e. have mainly a heuristic function. Then we discuss recent interference experiments of large and complex molecules which seem to support this heuristic function of “duality”. However, we show that in these experiments the diffraction of a delocalized center-of-mass wave function depends on the interaction of the localized structure of the molecule with the diffraction element. Thus, the molecules display “dual features” at the same time, which contradicts the usual understanding of wave–particle duality. We conclude that the notion of “wave–particle duality” deserves no place in modern quantum physics.