Saturday, July 4, 2015

quantum mechanics - Relation between Wave equation of light and photon wave function?


Suppose in our double slit experimental setup with the usual notations d,D, we have a beam of light of known frequency (ν) and wavelength (λ) - so we can describe it as ξ0=Asin(kxωt).

It passes through the two holes and moves ahead doing the usual interference stuff, so the final form of the wave will be ξ=ξ1+ξ2=2Acos(u/2)sin(kxωt+0.5u)
where u is the phase difference.



We can convert phase difference u to path difference q. Now we choose the point of interest on the screen (s) ,(which depends on path difference q and hence phase difference u). The amplitude at s will be ξ=2Acos(as)sin(kxwt+as),

where a is constant.


Now this amplitude is a set of waves which interfere with different phases, and is function of the variables s,x,t. Since I placed the screen at some fix distance x=D from the wall with slits, ξ reduces to a function of two variables s,t. Rewriting ξD=2Acos(as)sin(aswt+kD),

this is also a wave description (but with different meaning).


The screen is along our x-axis (or to be precise s-axis). The intensity obtained on the screen is proportional to to absolute square of the wave amplitude written above, which in turn depends on s (and t as well).


But the intensity is also proportional to number of photons. So we postulate that the probability that a photon hit a certain s is proportional to the intensity=|amplitude|2.


Now, the function ξ I have written above is the wave function (ψ) from the quantum mechanics with s acting as x (in ψ)? If not, then what is the relation between them? (I will have some additional things to ask depending upon your response.) Thank you!




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