A hands-on introduction to single photons and quantum mechanics for undergraduates

  • Pearson B
  • Jackson D
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Abstract

We describe a series of experiments used in a sophomore-level quantum physics course that are designed to provide students with a hands-on introduction to quantum mechanics. By measuring correlations, we demonstrate that a helium-neon laser produces results consistent with a classical model of light. We then demonstrate that a light source derived from a spontaneous parametric down-conversion process produces results that can only be described using a quantum theory of light, thus providing a (nearly) single-photon source. These single photons are then sent into a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, and interference fringes are observed whenever the path of the photons cannot be determined. These experiments are investigated theoretically using straightforward quantum-mechanical calculations.

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Pearson, B. J., & Jackson, D. P. (2010). A hands-on introduction to single photons and quantum mechanics for undergraduates. American Journal of Physics, 78(5), 471–484. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.3354986

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