1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 587: Single Electron Double Slit Experiment! Even a single electron can interfere! Shocking! "Absolutely impossible!"

Inside the conference room of the Metropolitan Hotel.

Dozens of the top leaders in the field of physics were moved and shocked.

No one doubted Professor Bruce's declaration.

That man's promise is harder and more permanent than diamonds!

If the nature of the world is as Bruce's interpretation describes, what kind of experiment can verify it?

No one present could have imagined this.

However, everyone knows that once the experiment really confirms Professor Bruce's theory.

Then quantum mechanics will undergo earth-shaking changes!
The entire physics has to be rewritten!
This is no less earth-shaking event than when the general theory of relativity was first published!
Create the world!
Everyone was excited at this moment.

“Maybe today we’re going to witness history!”

At this time, under the watchful eyes of the big guys, several experimental personnel from the Quantum Research Institute came in, carefully pulling the experimental instruments.

"hiss!"

"Is that the mysterious instrument Professor Bruce built?"

"I heard that Professor Rutherford spent a month making it."

"Horrible! It's terrifying just looking at it!"

Compton and other young spectators were pointing and talking with excitement and curiosity on their faces.

Wu Youxun studied it carefully and found that he could not tell anything special from the appearance.

At least there was no such instrument in the Alpha Laboratory he was in charge of.

Thomson whispered to Rutherford:
"Bruce asked you to make this?"

"do you know?"

Rutherford smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying:

"Bruce insisted on giving us a surprise."

"No matter how much I asked him, he wouldn't tell me."

Thompson chuckled.

“That’s his style.”

The eyes of Einstein, Schrödinger, Heisenberg and others lit up.

They can't wait!
Soon, after the experimenters set up the instruments, Li Qiwei began to make the final adjustments.

Ten minutes later, the entire experimental equipment preparation was completed.

At this moment, everyone looked over and were shocked.

"My God!"

"Why do I feel like this is a bit like Young's double-slit interference experiment?"

"From left to right, they are the light source, double slits, and display screen."

"Could this be the experiment Professor Bruce was talking about?"

"How can this be!"

"Young's double-slit interference experiment proves the wave nature of light!"

“It probably has nothing to do with the nature of the world.”

After seeing the experimental equipment clearly, many people exclaimed!
This experimental design is really too classic and familiar.

Not to mention that all the people present were physics experts, even undergraduates could recognize him at a glance.

Everyone looked at each other.

If it wasn't Professor Bruce standing on the stage, everyone would probably feel like they were being fooled.

After all this time, we have to repeat an experiment from over a hundred years ago?
However, after just a moment, everyone calmed down.

“It won’t be that simple!”

"Professor Bruce cannot prove the principle of complementarity by relying on the double-slit interference experiment!"

Li Qiwei smiled slightly, and his deep eyes swept around.

He is like the ancient Greek god who controls destiny, with a lofty and ethereal aura.

Then, he opened his mouth softly and said something shocking!

"The next experiment I'm going to do is the double-slit interference experiment."

boom!
The whole audience was shocked!

Everyone suspected that there was something wrong with their ears.

"what!"

"How can it be!"

"Could it be that Professor Bruce is possessed by a demon?"

How could everyone not be confused?

They had just comforted and denied themselves that although the instrument looked very similar to the double-slit interference experiment, it was definitely not it.

After all, Young's double-slit interference experiment was indeed amazing and awesome in Thomas' time.

But today, it is quite common and has become a physics experiment at the popular science level.

However, at this moment, Professor Bruce actually said in person that what he wanted to do was the double-slit interference experiment.

You can imagine the shock in everyone's hearts!

There was immediate heated discussion in the meeting hall.

Among the crowd, only Rutherford frowned slightly.

He knew clearly that this could never be Young's double-slit interference experiment.

Because that is an electron transmitter, not an electromagnetic wave transmitter.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head, as if he had thought of something incredible.

"Oh my goodness!"

"Is that the experiment Bruce is going to do?"

"How can this be!"

"How can he create such a narrow double slit?"

At this moment, Rutherford, the giant of experimental physics, was shocked!

But there was still one thing he couldn't figure out.

"If we want to prove the principle of complementarity, there should be one more step left."

"Bruce, what are you going to do?"

Rutherford was shocked. If this experiment was truly successful, it would definitely become one of the most sensational experiments in the history of physics!

He is full of expectations!

After everyone was surprised, the troublemaker Pauli stood up.

He asked directly:
"Professor Bruce, we all know the double-slit interference experiment."

"How can it prove the nature of the world?"

"You must be mistaken."

Like Heisenberg, Pauli was a "Pauli conservative" who recognized probability waves, the uncertainty principle, and even the complementarity principle.

But that doesn't mean he will follow blindly.

In his opinion, right is right and wrong is wrong, and the basis for evaluation is facts, not the identity of the other party.

It is obvious that it is wrong to try to prove the nature of the world by relying on Young's double-slit interference experiment.

Facing Pauli's questioning, Li Qiwei smiled slightly.

"The double-slit interference experiment I'm talking about is not the one performed by Thomas Young in 1801."

"What I'm going to do is the double-slit interference experiment of electrons!"

Wow!
The whole audience was shocked!

“It turned out to be the double-slit interference experiment of electrons!”

"It turns out that instrument is an electronic transmitter."

Everyone suddenly realized!

But their doubts went deeper.

Even if it is the double-slit interference experiment of electrons, can it prove the principle of complementarity?

At this time, de Broglie asked hurriedly:
"Professor Bruce, I heard that the double-slit interference experiment of electrons is difficult to perform."

"Many people tried it at the time, and all failed."

After de Broglie proposed the matter wave theory, how to verify the wave nature of electrons became a hot topic.

Countless experimental masters tried their best but failed.

It was finally solved by Davidson and Thompson Jr.

But the method they used was a diffraction experiment, not an interference experiment.

It’s not that they don’t want to, but they simply can’t do it!
Almost all the bigwigs first thought of using interference to prove the wave nature of electrons.

But the idea is beautiful, but the reality is cruel.

Make bricks without straw.

They couldn't create the tiny slits that would allow the electrons to interfere.

But today, Professor Bruce did it!
How could everyone not be surprised? Li Qiwei smiled and said:
"Yes, if electrons want to produce interference effects, the double slits need to be very precise."

"However, I prepared it using special physical and chemical methods."

"I will announce this method after the meeting."

"Today's focus is on the electron double-slit interference experiment itself."

"I know a lot of people still have questions in their minds."

"For example, Pauli, you wanted to continue asking questions just now, right?"

Pauli smiled awkwardly.

Ridgeway continued:

"Of course, I know what Pauli wants to ask, and I also know what everyone wants to ask."

"You mean to say that even the electron double-slit interference experiment cannot prove the nature of the world."

"At most, it is like the diffraction experiments of Davisson and Thomson, which only prove the wave nature of electrons."

“But it doesn’t prove that the wave nature of electrons is a probability wave!”

Pauli and others nodded.

That's what they mean.

The double-slit interference experiment of electrons is not magical.

Everyone wants to do it, but they just can't do it.

suddenly!

Li Qiwei's momentum suddenly changed.

At this moment, he no longer concealed himself, and his domineering aura burst out!
A voice like a huge bell resounded throughout the venue:
"but!"

"I want to do more than just verify the wave nature of electrons."

"Next, I will use experiments to show you one by one."

"In the meantime, I hope you can follow my train of thought and explore the mystery of this experiment with me."

Wow!
The simple yet domineering words shocked everyone!
The invincible man is back!
Moreover, everyone also heard the hidden meaning of Professor Bruce's words.

That is, don't be impatient and wait for his explanation.

He knew what he was going to do better than anyone else present.

Many people looked at Pauli with smiles on their faces, and the meaning was self-evident:

"Professor Bruce is talking about you."

"You, the Whip of God, better behave yourself."

Pauli was not afraid of other people's gazes at all, he just stared at the instrument.

At this moment, everyone looked at the interference instrument in front of them.

Ding!
Li Qiwei first turned on the switch of the electron emission instrument.

Then he asked Heisenberg and others to draw the curtains.

At this moment, the room immediately became dim and filled with a mysterious atmosphere.

"I commissioned Professor Rutherford to build this instrument for me."

“It has two main functions.”

"One is to fire a stream of electrons."

No one cared. The bombardment experiment also used electron flow, which was nothing special.

Maybe the instrument customized by Professor Bruce is more effective.

Li Qiwei smiled slightly. He did not mention that the second function was to emit single electrons, which was something no one had ever thought of.

"Now, adjust the angle."

"First, we open one of the slits and close the other one."

"Obviously, if everything goes well, the electrons will flow through the slits and onto the display behind."

"This display is also a specially made induction screen. Once it is hit by electrons, it can produce a bright fluorescent effect."

"So the result of the experiment should be a bright stripe on the display."

"Well, look!"

Snapped!
As Li Qiwei pressed the electronic launch button, bright stripes appeared on the display screen almost instantly.

The faint fluorescence is like a beacon in the endless dark sea, representing hope.

There is nothing much to say about this step, and the big guys didn't react much.

"Next, open both slits at the same time."

"According to my theory, the probability waves of electrons will interfere just like real waves."

"So, there will be light and dark stripes on the display."

"Well, look!"

Snapped!
No surprises!

Light and dark electronic interference fringes immediately appeared on the display screen!

There was a sudden cry of surprise in the dim room!

"Oh my god! Electrons really interfere with each other just like light!"

Although the result was within the bosses' expectations, everyone was still deeply moved when they saw this scene with their own eyes.

Because in a sense, the status of electron interference experiment far exceeds that of diffraction experiment.

More than a hundred years ago, Thomas Young conducted a groundbreaking double-slit interference experiment on light.

Experiments have proved that light not only has particle properties, but also wave properties!
It was a challenge to Newton's authority, proving that Newton could be wrong!

Just a dozen years later, experiments on the diffraction of light by disks appeared.

It can be said that Young's double-slit interference experiment represents the spiritual core of physics that is everlasting and never-ending!

The experimental process itself is simple, but of great significance.

More than a hundred years later, quantum mechanics came into being.

The wave-particle duality of light has been greatly expanded.

Now not only light has the wave-particle duality, but all matter has the wave-particle duality.

From electrons to celestial bodies, everything has its own de Broglie wavelength.

This is another great cognitive revolution of mankind in physics!

This time, not only was Newton wrong, but the entire physics community was wrong, and human common sense and cognition were wrong.

The experimental masters all wanted to prove it again through interference experiments, just like Thomas Young did a hundred years ago.

Start a new era!
But they all failed.

And today, Li Qiwei personally demonstrated the double-slit interference experiment of electrons in front of many big names of the time.

Arrived late.

He made up for the regret in the hearts of all physicists!
How can it not be touching!
Someone whispered:
“What a beautiful experiment!”

The bigwigs all agreed.

In the dim light, what is reflected is the extremely bright look in their eyes!

The light and dark stripes on the display are like a ladder leading to truth, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

clap clap clap!
There was immediate applause in the room!

At this moment, people were not applauding Professor Bruce, but applauding physics!

The beauty of physics only exists in my heart!
Li Qiwei waited quietly.

He could see the ups and downs of people's moods on their faces.

Wasn't he extremely excited in his heart?

However, physics must not only be sentimental, but also have absolute rationality and coldness!

The double-slit interference experiment of electrons is just the beginning and has only revealed the tip of the iceberg of the nature of the world.

Soon, Li Qiwei's voice sounded again:
"Another feature of this electron emitter is that it can emit only one electron at a time."

"So, I want to do a more daring experiment based on the electron beam double-slit interference experiment."

"That's the [Single Electron Double Slit Interference Experiment]!"

“I just send one electron through the slit and see what happens when it passes through it.”

"According to my complementary principle, even if a single electron is emitted, interference can occur!"

"That is, the electrons interfere with themselves!"

"Alternating light and dark interference fringes will also appear on the display!"

"Everyone, are you ready?"

"Next, it's time to witness the miracle!"

boom!
The whole audience was shocked!

Everyone gasped.

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

(End of this chapter)