The Exchange Effect Interference Mechanisms in Quantum Mechanics

Huai‐Yu Wang

M. Cramer

Huai‐Yu Wang

In quantum mechanics, there are two interference mechanisms between identical particles. One is that the de Broglie wavelengths of two interference waves are the same, which is called the equal wavelength interference mechanism. There have been many experiments by this mechanism. The other is that the wavelengths of interference waves can also be different, in which case there should be an exchange term in addition to the direct term in the wave function. There is a fixed phase difference between the two terms, which causes interference. This is called exchange effect interference mechanism. There is a special case where two interference waves can satisfy both the two mechanisms. We propose an experiment to discriminate that in this case which mechanism plays a role on earth. By the exchange effect interference mechanism, it is possible to construct artificial crystals and to study the physical properties of this kind of crystals.

Urbasi Sinha, Debadrita Ghosh

Sh. N. Gifeǐsman, Yu. E. Perlin

Eduardo V. Flores

We analyze an experiment in which a thin wire is scanned across the overlap of two in phase photon beams. We find that unless the wire induces the formation of an interference pattern, the complementarity inequality is violated. Quantum electrodynamics accounts for this effect through photon deflections mediated by energy momentum exchange with the wire via virtual particles. This mechanism underscores the essential role of virtual particles in producing field effects and motivates an interpretation of quantum mechanics in which the wavefunction or field serves as information, a blueprint guiding virtual particles, whose exchanges with external sources shape the trajectories of real particles in accordance with field predictions. As an application, we propose a test of gravity quantum nature.