| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"r.e.s." |
| Date: |
06 Aug 2003 02:04:32 PM |
| Object: |
single-electron two-slit experiments |
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
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| User: "r.e.s." |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
07 Aug 2003 03:51:30 PM |
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"Old Man" <nomail@nomail.net> wrote ...
r.e.s. <rs.1@mindspring.com> wrote in message ...
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
For each dot, The angle of arrival could be computed from the
abcissa / ordinate values of the graph if one knew which slit to use as
a reference. That is, one could calculate the angle if one knew which
slit the electron passed through, but the getting of this information
would destroy the interference pattern.
Ok, but now consider any single dot.
The question concerns the "local" 3D structure of that one dot,
not its location relative to the slits; e.g., does the shape
of a single dot have an "orientation"? If so, do different
dots have different orientations? What does theory predict?
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| User: "Old Man" |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
08 Aug 2003 03:42:16 PM |
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r.e.s. <rs.1@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:bgue4m$q4b$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
"Old Man" <nomail@nomail.net> wrote ...
r.e.s. <rs.1@mindspring.com> wrote in message ...
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
For each dot, The angle of arrival could be computed from the
abcissa / ordinate values of the graph if one knew which slit to use as
a reference. That is, one could calculate the angle if one knew which
slit the electron passed through, but the getting of this information
would destroy the interference pattern.
Ok, but now consider any single dot.
The question concerns the "local" 3D structure of that one dot,
not its location relative to the slits; e.g., does the shape
of a single dot have an "orientation"? If so, do different
dots have different orientations? What does theory predict?
"dots" don't have any intrinsic meaning. The "dots" represent
information via their location on the graph. Each "dot" may
represent more information than is shown on the graph: For
instance, the experimenters may have measured and recorded
the energy or the dE / dx signal and spin for each electron. if the
experimenters thought it worth while, that additional information
could be shown by dot locations WRT axis that are orthogonal
to those shown. [Old Man]
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| User: "r.e.s." |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
08 Aug 2003 04:48:41 PM |
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"Old Man" <nomail@nomail.net> wrote in ...
r.e.s. <rs.1@mindspring.com> wrote ...
"Old Man" <nomail@nomail.net> wrote ...
r.e.s. <rs.1@mindspring.com> wrote ...
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
For each dot, The angle of arrival could be computed from the
abcissa / ordinate values of the graph if one knew which slit to use
as
a reference. That is, one could calculate the angle if one knew which
slit the electron passed through, but the getting of this information
would destroy the interference pattern.
Ok, but now consider any single dot.
The question concerns the "local" 3D structure of that one dot,
not its location relative to the slits; e.g., does the shape
of a single dot have an "orientation"? If so, do different
dots have different orientations? What does theory predict?
"dots" don't have any intrinsic meaning. The "dots" represent
information via their location on the graph. Each "dot" may
represent more information than is shown on the graph: For
instance, the experimenters may have measured and recorded
the energy or the dE / dx signal and spin for each electron. if the
experimenters thought it worth while, that additional information
could be shown by dot locations WRT axis that are orthogonal
to those shown.
Concerning the 3D structure of a such a dot and whether it can
provide information about direction of arrival, it may well be
as you say that there simply is nothing meaningful to be found.
It would good to see a theoretical explanation, and to know of
any experiments on the question.
Aside from the directionality issue, I'm just curious about the
structure of such a dot. Does it resemble a section of a sphere?
An ellipsoid? If the latter, what determines the eccentricity,
orientation, etc.?
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| User: "Moiraine" |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
06 Aug 2003 04:50:08 PM |
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On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 19:04:32 GMT, "r.e.s." <rs.1@mindspring.com>
wrote:
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
Perhaps the recorded dots were a property of the detector? The wave
interference pattern is pretty clear in the last few images.
I assumed the images were sequential and cumulative, the first dot in
image one appears in the same position in image two. Strangely the
dot locations in image two are not all present in image three so
perhaps this is not a cumulative detection?
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| User: "r.e.s." |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
07 Aug 2003 04:12:07 PM |
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"Moiraine" <Moiraine@Shadarlogoth.org> wrote ...
"r.e.s." <rs.1@mindspring.com> wrote:
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
Perhaps the recorded dots were a property of the detector? The wave
interference pattern is pretty clear in the last few images.
Each dot is supposed to be the result of a single electron
interacting with the detector. The question concerns the
"local" 3D structure of a single dot, not the interference
pattern produced by numerous dots.
I assumed the images were sequential and cumulative, the first dot in
image one appears in the same position in image two. Strangely the
dot locations in image two are not all present in image three so
perhaps this is not a cumulative detection?
I don't know, but each image could show the result of sequential
accumulation without the images themselves being sequential.
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| User: "Dan Bloomquist" |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
07 Aug 2003 02:31:37 AM |
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r.e.s. wrote:
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
I'd imagine it is just what the math predicts. Excellent question...
(new link)
http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/2
Why the double slit experiment?
(possible answer)
It is still the most mysterious question from a classical viewpoint.
Best, Dan.
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| User: "r.e.s." |
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| Title: Re: single-electron two-slit experiments |
07 Aug 2003 03:50:03 PM |
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"Dan Bloomquist" <lakeweb@citlink.net> wrote ...
r.e.s. wrote:
At http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/1 there are images
of single-electron events recorded in double-slit experiments.
Each "dot" in the photos apparently corresponds to the arrival
of a single electron at a detector, so I was just wondering ...
What is the three-dimensional shape of such a dot, and can it
provide information about direction of arrival?
I'd imagine it is just what the math predicts.
Me too ;o) but I don't know what the theory predicts;
however, experimentally it surely wouldn't be terribly
difficult to examine the 3D structure of such a dot?
Excellent question...
(new link)
http://physicsweb.org/article/world/15/9/2
Why the double slit experiment?
(possible answer)
It is still the most mysterious question from a classical viewpoint.
Best, Dan.
.
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