Particle and Wave-Like Behavior of Light Measured Simultaneously. - Polidicks

[quote] [quote] [IMG]http://images.sciencedaily.com/2012/11/121101141107.jpg?1351798004[/IMG] ============================================================ Quantum mechanics predicts that photons, particles of light, are both particles and waves simultaneously. Physicists now give a new demonstration of this wave-particle duality of photons. (Credit: © Yahya Idiz / Fotolia) [/quote] What is light made of: waves or particles? This basic question has fascinated physicists since the early days of science. Quantum mechanics predicts that photons, particles of light, are both particles and waves simultaneously. Reporting in Science, physicists from the University of Bristol give a new demonstration of this wave-particle duality of photons, dubbed the 'one real mystery of quantum mechanics' by Nobel Prize laureate Richard Feynman. The history of science is marked by an intense debate between the particle and wave theories of light. Isaac Newton was the main advocate of the particle theory, while James Clerk Maxwell and his greatly successful theory of electromagnetism, gave credit to the wave theory. However, things changed dramatically in 1905, when Einstein showed that it was possible to explain the photoelectric effect (which had remained a complete mystery until then) using the idea that light is made of particles: photons. This discovery had a huge impact on physics, as it greatly contributed to the development of quantum mechanics -- the most accurate scientific theory ever developed. Despite its success, quantum mechanics presents a tremendous challenge to our everyday intuition. Indeed, the theory predicts with a remarkable accuracy the behaviour of small objects such as atoms and photons. However, when taking a closer look at these predictions, we are forced to admit that they are strikingly counter-intuitive. For instance, quantum theory predicts that a particle (for instance a photon) can be in different places at the same time. In fact it can even be in infinitely many places at the same time, exactly as a wave. Hence the notion of wave-particle duality, which is fundamental to all quantum systems. Surprisingly, when a photon is observed, it behaves either as a particle or as a wave. But both aspects are never observed simultaneously. In fact, which behaviour it exhibits depends on the type of measurement it is presented with. These astonishing phenomena have been experimentally investigated in the last few years, using measurement devices that can be switched between wave-like and particle-like measurements. In a paper published Nov. 1 in Science, physicists from the University of Bristol give a new twist on these ideas. Dr Alberto Peruzzo, Peter Shadbolt and Professor Jeremy O'Brien from the Centre for Quantum Photonics teamed up with quantum theorists Dr Nicolas Brunner and Professor Sandu Popescu to devise a novel type of measurement apparatus that can measure both particle and wave-like behaviour simultaneously. This new device is powered by quantum nonlocality, another strikingly counter-intuitive quantum effect. Dr Peruzzo, Research Fellow at the Centre for Quantum Photonics, said: "The measurement apparatus detected strong nonlocality, which certified that the photon behaved simultaneously as a wave and a particle in our experiment. This represents a strong refutation of models in which the photon is either a wave or a particle." Professor O'Brien, Director of the Centre for Quantum Photonics, said: "To conduct this research, we used a quantum photonic chip, a novel technology pioneered in Bristol. The chip is reconfigurable so it can be programmed and controlled to implement different circuits. Today this technology is a leading approach in the quest to build a quantum computer and in the future will allow for new and more sophisticated studies of fundamental aspects of quantum phenomena." Journal: Alberto Peruzzo, Peter Shadbolt, Nicolas Brunner, Sandu Popescu, and Jeremy L. O’Brien. A Quantum Delayed-Choice Experiment. Science, 2012; 338 (6107): 634-637 DOI: 10.1126/science.1226719 ============================================================ Source: [URL]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121101141107.htm[/URL] [/quote] HUGE! ArXiv paper: [URL]http://arxiv.org/abs/1205.4926[/URL] NB: This isn't the same as last years news -- [URL]http://phys.org/news/2011-06-quantum-physics-photons-two-slit-interferometer.html[/URL]

[quote]Surprisingly, when a photon is observed, it behaves either as a particle or as a wave. But both aspects are never observed simultaneously. In fact, which behaviour it exhibits depends on the type of measurement it is presented with. These astonishing phenomena have been experimentally investigated in the last few years, using measurement devices that can be switched between wave-like and particle-like measurements.[/quote] What first was so mysterious sounds so fucking obvious now..

So it's basically a Shrödinger's Cat-duality? It's hypothetically in both states at the same time, yet is forcibly isolated to one when we try to measure it?

[QUOTE=Im Crimson;38279595]So it's basically a Shrödinger's Cat-duality? It's hypothetically in both states at the same time, yet is forcibly isolated to one when we try to measure it?[/QUOTE] Why can't you put both measuring methods together and get both then?

-snip- Suddenly, all became clear.

Its a partave or a waveicle

All particles, not just photons act like both a wave and a particle. But everything bigger than electrons are so big that the wavelength of their wave-form is absurdly tiny to the point of not mattering. The point is that thy don't act like waves or particles, but both at the same time, and you'll see them as different things depending on how you detect them. This is important because previously we've had to do separate experiments to see photons act as a wave and a particle, whereas now we can detect it doing both at the same time.

"Why can't we measure both?" [IMG]http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/244/457/793.gif[/IMG] But in all seriousness, this actually sheds a lot of light on the issue. It wasn't too long ago that I couldn't begin to comprehend Quantum Mechanics. It's all starting to make sense now.

My Chemistry 001 class just went over Einstien's photoelectric experiment today as well as quantized energy levels or whatever. Gotta say, he explained it pretty well and glossed over enough that everyone there had a vague understanding.

[QUOTE=Ereunity;38279715]Why can't you put both measuring methods together and get both then?[/QUOTE] How would you put the measuring methods together then? Measuring it traditionally will collapse the superposition into either state (or at least in one observable state). Of course you could fire a pulse of electrons into a device that measures if part of the electrons act as a wave and the other part acts like particles. But you cannot do those both to a individual electron, because the first one would collapse the wave function. Unless, you use some kind of quantum mechanical technique (which I don't yet understand) to measure it, like they did here.

"What's that? You want the universe to operate in a sensible manner? Sorry but it's not quite in the cards buddy." -Quantum Mechanics.