Quantum Mechanics Confirmed in Idealized Double-Slit Experiment

MIT physicists have performed an idealized version of the double-slit experiment, confirming the dual nature of light as both a particle and a wave. The findings demonstrate atomic-level precision and validate Niels Bohr's quantum theory, contradicting Albert Einstein's earlier proposal. The experiment uses individual atoms as slits and weak beams of light to scatter at most one photon, providing an unprecedented level of precision.

MIT physicists have conducted an idealized version of the double-slit experiment, affirming the dual nature of light as both a particle and a wave. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, demonstrates atomic-level precision and validates Niels Bohr's quantum theory, contradicting Albert Einstein's earlier proposal [1].

The experiment used individual atoms as slits and weak beams of light to scatter at most one photon, providing an unprecedented level of precision. The findings confirm that light behaves as a wave when not observed and as a particle when measured, aligning with quantum mechanics principles.

The study also tested Einstein's idea of detecting the path of a photon, which he proposed could be done without losing the wave-like interference pattern. However, the MIT team found that the interference pattern diminishes when the path of the photon is measured, consistent with the uncertainty principle formulated by Bohr [2].

The experiment involved more than 10,000 atoms cooled to microkelvin temperatures and arranged in a crystal-like lattice. The atoms were used as slits through which a weak beam of light was shone, and the scattered light was recorded with a highly sensitive camera. The results showed that the more information obtained about the path of the photon, the lower the visibility of the interference pattern, further validating the quantum theory [3].

The study, conducted by Wolfgang Ketterle and his team at MIT, marks a significant milestone in quantum physics research. It was supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

References:
[1] https://www.facebook.com/groups/quantum.physics/posts/24816854504582035/
[2] https://www.miragenews.com/double-slit-test-validated-in-quantum-basics-1504154/
[3] https://news.mit.edu/2025/famous-double-slit-experiment-holds-when-stripped-to-quantum-essentials-0728