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American Journal of Physics

A Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference Experiment

Sherwood I. Parker

Published Apr 1, 1971• 30 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe a double-slit interference experiment suitable for a beginning physics laboratory in which single photons are observed to interfere with themselves, directly demonstrating the wave-particle duality. When the photons are tagged to indicate which slit they passed through, the double-slit interference vanishes. Both the slits and the diffraction pattern are visible to the unaided eye.

DOI
10.1119/1.1986168

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Journal of Physics Conference Series•May 1, 2021•2 citations
We describe a double-slit interference experiment suitable for a beginning physics laboratory in which single photons are observed to interfere with themselves, directly demonstrating the wave-particle duality. When the photons are tagged to indicate which slit they passed through, the double-slit interference vanishes. Both the slits and the diffraction pattern are visible to the unaided eye.
The double-slit experiment strikingly demonstrates the wave-particle duality of quantum objects. In this famous experiment, particles pass one-by-one through a pair of slits and are detected on a distant screen. A distinct wave-like pattern emerges after many discrete particle impacts as if each particle is passing through both slits and interfering with itself. Here we present a temporally- and spatially-resolved measurement of the double-slit interference pattern using single photons. We send single photons through a birefringent double-slit apparatus and use a linear array of single-photon detectors to observe the developing interference pattern. The analysis of the buildup allows us to compare quantum mechanics and the corpuscular model, which aims to explain the mystery of single-particle interference. Finally, we send one photon from an entangled pair through our double-slit setup and show the dependence of the resulting interference pattern on the twin photon's measured state. Our results provide new insight into the dynamics of the buildup process in the double-slit experiment, and can be used as a valuable resource in quantum information applications.
We report observations of Cross-Double-Slit Experiment and Which-Path-Cross-Double-Slit experiment. Cross-Double-Slit apparatus contains two double-slit, where first double-slit is perpendicular to second double-slit. The first double-slit and the second double-slit generate not only their own interference pattern perpendicular to each other, but also generate “Cross-interference-patterns”. When we do which-way experiment with one of two double-slit, say first double-slit, then its interference pattern disappeared, i.e., photons behave as particles; but the second double-slit’s interference pattern and the cross-interference-pattern still exist; which implies an significant phenomenon that in the same experiment, photons behave as both wave and particle, which is first time caught on film. Thus we suggest to re-study wave-particle duality, which is the basic mystery of quantum mechanics. We postulate that the particle nature of photons is intrinsic; while the wave-like of photons is manifest-behavior.
The interference of single photons going through a double slit is a compelling demonstration of the wave and particle nature of light in the same experiment. Single photons produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion can be used for this purpose. However, it is particularly challenging to implement this due to coherency and resolution challenges. In this article, we present a table-top laboratory arrangement suitable for the undergraduate instruction laboratory that overcomes these challenges. The apparatus scans a single detector to produce a plot showing the interference patterns of single photons. We include experimental data obtained using this setup, demonstrating double-slit and single-slit interference as well as quantum erasing through the use of sheet polarizers.
Full text: We present two experiments on single- and two-particle interference. In the single-photon interference experiment, photons from a spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) source are send through a double slit. An interference pattern is built up frame by frame from shots obtained with an EMCCD camera behind the slit. Each frame contains on average less than one photon, thus demonstrating true single-photon sensitivity of the camera. The build-up of the interference pattern nicely demonstrates the concept of wave-particle duality. In a next step, we describe the Heisenberg's lens experiment and present the conditions required to analyse and investigate the spatial correlations of momentum entangled photons produced by SPDC. The occurrence of double-slit interference now depends on the experimental arrangement for the second photon of the pair, for example: interference can only occur if the second photon is also passing a double slit. We present an analysis of such a double-double-slit experiment. (author)
Abstract In the past there has been great faith in the power of laboratory activities and teacher demonstrations to enhance the learning of physics concepts. However, reviews of the effectiveness turned out to be disappointing [1-3] and have shown that lab activities and demonstrations need to be carefully designed and embedded in lessons to realize cognitive benefits [4]. Nevertheless, for secondary school quantum physics we developed a portable double slit demonstration mounted in a suitcase in which photons pass the slits approximately one by one and yet together produce an interference pattern. Based on experiences in 5 schools, we carefully designed the educational aspects of the demonstration and investigated its longterm learning effects through a written test of 68 students after 4 weeks and retention interviews after 4 months (10 interviews) and after 9 months (5 interviews). Students did remember the setup and results of the demonstration quite well. They were quite aware of the unexpected and strange wave-particle behavior of quantum particles in the demonstration including the effect of measurement or observation on the outcomes. However, half of them still had trouble defining duality in their own words and most of them did not remember de Broglie particle waves and how that related to the double slit experiment.