Re: Pedagogy of QM Double Slit Experiment


"Igor Khavkine" <igor.kh@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:slrndgv7jg.qo7.igor.kh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On 2005-08-25, David Park <djmp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> As usual, explanations of an experiment should be supplanted with actual
> experimental data. The more visual the better. For example, Akira
> Tonomura, at Hitachi, has a page[1] describing the electron double slit
> experimentin with modern equipment. It even has a movie[2] of the
> detector monitor showing the detection of individual electrons and the
> gradual formation of an interference pattern.
>
> [1] http://www.hqrd.hitachi.co.jp/em/doubleslit.cfm
> [2] http://www.hqrd.hitachi.co.jp/em/movie.cfm, (2)
>
> Igor
>

This discussion is all very interesting. I certainly like that link and I
have seen these picture before.

But I would like to get back to the pinhole experiment. I have the picture
in my mind of 1) the classical case: the electrons shoot straight through
the center of the pinhole and all strike the screen in a single spot. 2) The
quantum mechanical case: there is a circularly symmetric distribution of
hits on the screen, centered about the classical spot.

I would like to make an animation of this using Mathematica. There could be
two kinds of animations. One showing a slow buildup of the QM hits. A second
showing how the distribution changes with either the size of the hole or the
momentum of the electrons. I'm good at animations but I don't know how to
set up the calculation or do the proper Fourier transform. So if someone,
preferably with Mathematica, would like to help me set this up - not so much
as an exercise for me, but as a cooperative venture to make a nice notebook
introducing the single pin hole case - I would be glad for the assistance.

I don't mean to deprecate the double slit case. I just think that the single
pinhole case is one that needs better presentation and is the one that
interests me at the moment.

David Park
djmp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://home.earthlink.net/~djmp/

.

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