Slashdot Mirror
Photo First: Light Captured As Both Particle and Wave
mpicpp sends word that scientists have succeeded in capturing the first-ever snapshot of the dual behavior of light. "It's one of those enduring Zen koans of science that we've all grown up with: Light behaves as both a particle and a wave—at the same time. Einstein taught us that, so we're all generally on board, but to actually understand what it means would require several Ph.D.s and a thorough understanding of quantum physics. What's more, scientists have never been able to devise an experiment that documents light behaving as both a wave and a particle simultaneously. Until now. That's the contention of a team of Swiss and American researchers, who say they've succeeded in capturing the first-ever snapshot of light's dual behavior. Using an advanced electron microscope – one of only two on the planet – at the EPFL labs in Switzerland, the team has generated a kind of quantum photograph of light behaving as both a particle and a wave. The experiment involves firing laser light at a microscopic metallic nanowire, causing light to travel — as a wave — back and forth along the wire. When waves traveling in opposite directions meet, they form a "standing wave" that emits light itself — as particles. By shooting a stream of electrons close to the nanowire, the researchers were able to capture an image that simultaneously demonstrates both the wave-nature and particle-nature of light. 'This experiment demonstrates that, for the first time ever, we can film quantum mechanics — and its paradoxical nature — directly,' says lead researcher Fabrizio Carbone of EPFL, on the lab's project page. The study is to be officially published this week in the journal Nature Communications."
every dual slit experiment shows light behaving as both particle and wave, because every photon only interferes with itself. Two or more photons never interfere with each other.
From the fine article it provides a caption to the graphic
"The bottom "slice" of the image shows the particles, while the top image shows light as a wave""
Looking at the graphic the top image is a 3-D display and the bottom just a color coded 2-D representation with topo lines. I see nothing in this displaying the wave aspect and particle aspect. Mistake?
> but to actually understand what it means would require several Ph.D.s and a thorough understanding of quantum physics
No, just some understanding of statistics and calculus up to tensors along with an ability to know why you know something rather than just knowing things.
When we make out relatively simple things (like quantum physics) to be complex, when in fact they are just strange we do a disservice to those who might otherwise put in the effort to understand.
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
I wish physicists would stop using the word "measurement" when talking about quantum mechanics. To detect fundamental particles we have to interact with them in an intrusive or destructive way. It's not like putting a rock on a scale to measure its weight or putting a ruler to a golf ball. We don't get to keep the original particle after we're done. It's more like colliding snowballs with other snowballs to probe their properties. You destroy or transform them in the process. If this was how we conveyed the concepts, the quantum ideas would become a lot more understandable.