Concept explainers
To Explain: The reason for intensity is extremely low in experiments effectively equivalent to electron double slit experiment.
Explanation of Solution
Whiledoing the experimental setup of the double slit experiment, it is important to care that the intensity of the incident electrons or photons is as low as possible. The idea is that one needs to check the wave nature of the particle (electron).Hence, this incident wave should be able to interfere with itself after leaving the two slits.
Accordingly, assuming electrons as waves, a single electron is capable of interfering with itself, when it is bombarded one at a time on the screen. This is achieved through a low-intensity beam, otherwise, one could argue that the pattern appearing on the screen is some form ofcomplex classical behavior that ends up with this interference pattern on the screen.
If one could setup the experimentin such a way that one electron arrives at a time on the screen, this will be a perfect experimental setup.
Conclusion:
The idea of self-interfering electrons will be greatly emphasized if we could make the beam intensity as low as possible-one electron at a time.
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Chapter 4 Solutions
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