Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2010
Department
Physics
Language
English
Publication Title
American Journal of Physics
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.
DOI
10.1119/1.3354986
Recommended Citation
Pearson, Brett J., and David P. Jackson. "A Hands-On Introduction to Single Photons and Quantum Mechanics for Undergraduates." American Journal of Physics 78, no. 5 (2010): 471- 484. https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/10.1119/1.3354986
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Quantum Physics Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
Comments
This published version is made available on Dickinson Scholar with the permission of the publisher. For more information on the published version, visit AAPT's (American Association of Physics Teachers) Website.
© 2010 American Association of Physics Teachers