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1.6: Interpretation of the double slit experiment

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    It is notable that the fringe pattern is independent of intensity. Thus, the interference effect should be observed even if just a single electron is fired at the slits at a time. For example, in Figure 1.6.1 we show the buildup of the fringe pattern from consecutive electrons. The only conclusion is that the electron – which we are used to thinking of as a particle - also has wave properties.

    Screenshot 2021-04-14 at 09.05.38.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The cumulative electron distribution after passage through a double slit. Just a single electron is present in the apparatus at any time. From A. Tanamura, et al. Am. J. Physics 57, 117 (1989).

    This page titled 1.6: Interpretation of the double slit experiment is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Marc Baldo (MIT OpenCourseWare) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.