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American Journal of Physics -- May 2010 -- Volume 78, Issue 5, pp. 471

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

Brett J. Pearson and David P. Jackson

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013

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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.

© 2010 American Association of Physics Teachers

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical expertise and assistance of Enrique “Kiko” Galvez of Colgate University and Mark Beck of Whitman College. We also acknowledge useful discussions with our colleagues at Dickinson College. The authors would like to thank an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments and a prompt and thorough reading of our manuscript. This project was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-0737230 with additional funding provided by Dickinson College.

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. COUNTING STATISTICS, CORRELATIONS, AND LIGHT SOURCES
    1. Radiation counting
    2. Coincidence counting
    3. An incandescent point source of light
    4. Statistics of laser light
    5. Spontaneous parametric down conversion
      1. Down-conversion basics
      2. Down-conversion correlations
      3. Accidental coincidences
  3. PHOTON QUANTUM MECHANICS
    1. Photons at last
    2. Estimating three-detector accidentals
    3. Interference of single photons
    4. Quantum-mechanical predictions
      1. A beam splitter
      2. A simple Mach–Zehnder interferometer
      3. Interference in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer
  4. CONCLUSIONS

KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

light interferometry, light sources, quantum optics, quantum theory, student experiments

PACS

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History
Received Nov 2009
Accepted Feb 2010
Online Apr 2010

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0002-9505 (print)  

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Association of Physics Teachers

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3354986

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