A lecture demonstration of single photon interference

American Journal of Physics

Volumn 64, Issue 2, 1996, Pages 184-188

  Rueckner, Wolfgang ^a   Titcomb, Paul ^a,b  

^a HARVARD UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b MJ Research Inc   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0030539620     PISSN: 00029505     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1119/1.18302     Document Type: Article

References (18)

1. See, for example: S. Parker, "A Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference Experiment," Am. J. Phys. 39, 420-424 (1971); S. Parker, "Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference - A Demonstration," Am. J. Phys. 40, 1003-1006 (1972). In these two experiments, a person directly views the interference pattern and a photomultiplier is used to prove that there is only one photon at a time in the apparatus. See also Y. Tsuchiya, E. Inuzuka, T. Kurono, and M. Hosoda, "Photon-Counting Imaging and Its Application" in Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics, Vol. 64A (Academic, London, 1985), pp. 21-31; Tsuchiya et al. have developed a sophisticated photon-counting image acquisition system which is far beyond the reach of a lecture demonstration organization. To test its application, they performed Young's interference experiment and have published marvelous photographs of their results in this book.
2. See, for example: S. Parker, "A Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference Experiment," Am. J. Phys. 39, 420-424 (1971); S. Parker, "Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference - A Demonstration," Am. J. Phys. 40, 1003-1006 (1972). In these two experiments, a person directly views the interference pattern and a photomultiplier is used to prove that there is only one photon at a time in the apparatus. See also Y. Tsuchiya, E. Inuzuka, T. Kurono, and M. Hosoda, "Photon-Counting Imaging and Its Application" in Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics, Vol. 64A (Academic, London, 1985), pp. 21-31; Tsuchiya et al. have developed a sophisticated photon-counting image acquisition system which is far beyond the reach of a lecture demonstration organization. To test its application, they performed Young's interference experiment and have published marvelous photographs of their results in this book.
3. See, for example: S. Parker, "A Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference Experiment," Am. J. Phys. 39, 420-424 (1971); S. Parker, "Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference - A Demonstration," Am. J. Phys. 40, 1003-1006 (1972). In these two experiments, a person directly views the interference pattern and a photomultiplier is used to prove that there is only one photon at a time in the apparatus. See also Y. Tsuchiya, E. Inuzuka, T. Kurono, and M. Hosoda, "Photon-Counting Imaging and Its Application" in Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics, Vol. 64A (Academic, London, 1985), pp. 21-31; Tsuchiya et al. have developed a sophisticated photon-counting image acquisition system which is far beyond the reach of a lecture demonstration organization. To test its application, they performed Young's interference experiment and have published marvelous photographs of their results in this book.
4. See, for example: S. Parker, "A Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference Experiment," Am. J. Phys. 39, 420-424 (1971); S. Parker, "Single-Photon Double-Slit Interference - A Demonstration," Am. J. Phys. 40, 1003-1006 (1972). In these two experiments, a person directly views the interference pattern and a photomultiplier is used to prove that there is only one photon at a time in the apparatus. See also Y. Tsuchiya, E. Inuzuka, T. Kurono, and M. Hosoda, "Photon-Counting Imaging and Its Application" in Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics, Vol. 64A (Academic, London, 1985), pp. 21-31; Tsuchiya et al. have developed a sophisticated photon-counting image acquisition system which is far beyond the reach of a lecture demonstration organization. To test its application, they performed Young's interference experiment and have published marvelous photographs of their results in this book.
5. Pasco Electroformed double-slit slide OS-9165B; choice of slit widths is 0.04 and 0.08 mm with a spacing of either 0.250 or 0.500 mm. Any combination works, although the wider spaced slits allow for less demanding tolerances of the movable mask.
6. COHU model 4410/ISIT/IT3498 (ISIT=intensified silicon intensified target).
7. 5 times more sensitive than a Camcorder.
8. 2) of 600-nm light was incident on the video camera. An Optronic Laboratory model 310 Low Light Level Calibration Standard was used as the light source. We would like to thank John Geary of the Harvard Smithsonian Institute (Cambridge, MA) for the loan of this instrument.
9. Designed and built by Paul Titcomb (1986).
10. Tektronix model 7313 analog storage scope with two 7A18 dual channel plug-ins.
11. These flashes are much brighter than legitimate photon events - indeed they appear as 1.8-V pulses and are much greater compared to the 1-V p-p nominal video signal.
12. Ortec model 551 Timing SCA.
13. Persistent phosphor screen.
14. Porta-Pattern™ is convenient for this purpose, but the cheapest method is to use a square piece of white cardboard and simply adjust the gains to secure a square video image.
15. Typically, these settings are 0.2 V/div, uncalibrated. The width-to-height aspect ratio is 4 to 3.
16. For further details, see M. Kivor and M. Kaufman, Television Electronics: Theory and Servicing (Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York, 1983), 8th ed.
17. For example (and this is not a product endorsement), Santa Barbara Instrument Group [Santa Barbara, CA; (805) 969-1851] has a broad product line of CCD imaging cameras for astronomy, spectroscopy, etc., known as the ST series which falls in this price range.
18. We use this particular scope for so many lecture demonstration experiments that we recently purchased another (used) mainframe, complete with plug-ins, for $400.