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Note on the two-slit experiment

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Abstract

According to the general philosophy of quantum mechanics, a particle whose passage through one of the slits of a two-slit apparatus has been detected does not produce interference. In a previous article this was demonstrated explicitly by solving the Schrödinger equation for a specific model of the detector, but only the first order in the interaction with the detector was considered. In the present note it is shown for the same model that for stronger interactions the interference disappears altogether. When the detector has reached 100% efficiency those particles that have not been detected do not produce interference either, because they are sure to have passed through the other slit.

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For Oliver Penrose, as a token of esteem.

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van Kampen, N.G. Note on the two-slit experiment. J Stat Phys 77, 345–350 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186845

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186845

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