Find special double slit experiment

In summary: This group wanted to see if two photons that were not in perfect phase would still interfere, and the result was that they did. You can read more about the experiment in the link I provided.
  • #1
meemoe_uk
125
0
I once read about a modified double slit experiment where the distance between one slit and the source was different to distance between the other slit and the source. It gave the usual interference result, and showed the common feature of other double slit experiments, equal distances to both slits from the source, was an artifact.

But I can't find any reference to this experiment now. Anyone got any links?
 
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  • #2
You make a good point, and it just goes to show how closely a 'water two-slit experiment' actually resembles a particle based one in interference pattern results. It gave the usual interference effect but yet the actual pattern is different because the point at which the waves intersect will be further out and the waves from say A will be more spread out than the waves from B when they intersect at a point C therefore different than the normal setup where the waves are almost identical in spread when they intersect at a common point C.
 
  • #3
tdunc said:
the point at which the waves intersect will be further out

not nessacerally. I didn't quite get my wording exact in my first post.

I say...
where the distance between one slit and the source
Exactly, I meant...

where the distance the photons travel from the source

The experiment I read about used fibre optic cables to take the photons destined for one slit round the block a few times before inserting them though the slit.
The slits themselves were the same distance from the source and the destination.

Still can't find a documentation on the experiement. Hope I didn't imagine it.
 
  • #4
So, essentially what you are saying is that one source (slit = source for interference purposes) is phase shifted relative to the other? If so, why would this group take an optic fibre around the block, when a quartz plate would suffice to give the phase shift (Coupled with the fact that using such a long piece of fibre would introduce coherence issues)?

This result is well known, all it does is shift the cos^2 pattern in the plane of the screen.

I doubt this group could have published a paper on this result alone (unless the paper is very old). If this paper was indeed published, they must have done something else to warrant publication.

Claude.
 
  • #5
No. Phase shift was not their goal.
They wanted to see if a photon-wave would interfere with itself, even though part of it was not in the right place at the right time. i.e. the the part of the wave traveling through the cable would arrive at it's slit much later than the other, but even so, typical interference occured.
The result was showing that getting the wave to hit both slits at the same time wasn't nessacery for interference.
 
  • #6
So you are saying that a pulse of light was sent and one half of the pulse passed through the slit after the other half, and interference still occured?

That would explain the long length of fibre if that is the case.

Claude.
 
  • #7
yep. Ain't that a cool experiment and result? I wish I could find it again just so I can be sure it exists.
 
  • #8
It sounds like such a simple experiment too.

Claude.
 
  • #9
Hello meemoe_uk,

I think you are talking about "conditional interference", where you have an entangled pair of photons, each photon is incident on a Young double slit.

http://www.loqnl.ufal.br/publications/2000/PRA61023801-1(2000).pdf
http://www.sbf1.if.usp.br/eventos/enfmc/xxii/programa/res0771.ps
 
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Related to Find special double slit experiment

1. What is the purpose of the double slit experiment?

The double slit experiment is a classic experiment in physics that aims to demonstrate the wave-particle duality of light. It shows that light can behave as both a wave and a particle, which was a major breakthrough in understanding the nature of light.

2. How does the double slit experiment work?

The experiment involves shining a beam of light through two parallel slits onto a screen. The light passing through the slits creates an interference pattern on the screen, which is the result of the light waves overlapping and either reinforcing or cancelling each other out.

3. What is the significance of finding a special double slit experiment?

A special double slit experiment refers to a variation of the original experiment that includes certain modifications, such as using different types of light sources or adding additional elements to the setup. These modifications can provide new insights and further our understanding of the behavior of light.

4. What are the potential applications of the double slit experiment?

The double slit experiment has been used to study the properties of light and other electromagnetic waves. It has also been applied in other fields such as quantum mechanics, where it has helped researchers better understand the behavior of particles. Additionally, the experiment has practical applications in technologies like holography and diffraction gratings.

5. What are some common misconceptions about the double slit experiment?

One common misconception is that the double slit experiment only applies to light. In reality, the experiment has been successfully conducted with other types of waves, such as water waves and electron beams. Another misconception is that the interference pattern on the screen is caused by the light particles passing through the slits, when in fact it is the result of the interaction of the light waves themselves.

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