Can photons interfere with de Broglie matter waves?

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geerj@bellsouth.net - 08 Mar 2008 15:27 GMT

Could one use X-ray photons to produce interference patterns with de
Broglie matter waves, e.g., of Helium?

X-rays have an EM wavelength in the .1 Nm range. Cold Helium atoms
have a de Broglie matter wavelength in the same .1 nM range.

There are various devices, such as a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer,
which use one Helium atom constructively or destructively interfering
with another Helium atom.

In summary, is there a way to use an EM wave to interfere with a
Helium atom, instead of needing to use another Helium atom?

If direct constructive or destructive wave interference is not
possible, could the photon be used to collapse the wave function of
the matter wave in a detectable way, or the matter wave defeat the
entanglement of entangled photons or vice-versa?

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Richard Saam - 10 Mar 2008 15:49 GMT

> Could one use X-ray photons to produce interference patterns with de
> Broglie matter waves, e.g., of Helium?
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> the matter wave in a detectable way, or the matter wave defeat the
> entanglement of entangled photons or vice-versa?

Conservation of energy and momentum would indicate
X-ray interference with described helium de Broglie state is not probable.

lambda = .1 nM = 1E-8 cm (cgs)

X-ray photon energy (Ep) = 1/2 h c/lambda = 9.93E-09 erg

Helium mass (m) = 4*proton mass = 6.69049E-24 g

Helium de Broglie velocity (v) = h/(m*lambda) = 99,000 cm/sec

Helium energy in de Broglie state (EH) = 1/2 m v^2 = 3.28E-14 erg

Much lower energy photons than X-rays (3.28E-14/9.93E-09)
could probably interfere with helium de Broglie state.

Richard D. Saam

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geerj@bellsouth.net - 11 Mar 2008 05:27 GMT

> ge...@bellsouth.net wrote:
> > Could one use X-ray photons to produce interference patterns with de
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks! This sounds promising!

I included a particular wavelength (XRAY) primarily as an example.

I have not been able to see any discussion in the literature of
interference between matter waves and EM waves. It seems to be all
matter waves interfering with other matter waves and EM waves with
other EM waves.

I assume this means one could, in theory, construct an interferometer
with an EM wave interfering with an atom, such as He. Or, one could
use a shorter EM wavelength interfering with a molecule, such as
C60. Do you know of any such interferometers?

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ilper@abv.bg - 11 Mar 2008 18:17 GMT

On 11 Март, 06:27, ge...@bellsouth.net wrote:

> > ge...@bellsouth.net wrote:
> > > Could one use X-ray photons to produce interference patterns with de
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
>
> - Показване на цитирания текст -

I fear what you think is imposible.
In fact photons do not interfere with photons if they are
distingushable.
Read about the quantum eraser.
The interference pattern is washed immediately away if there is only
posiblity to acquire which way information for the photons that are
supposed to interfere.
This is of coarse the case for an atom and a photon.
Look also at the tread I started soon - Do 2 laser interfere?

Regards: Ilian

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Natural Science Forum / Physics / Research / March 2008

Can photons interfere with de Broglie matter waves?