Physics

PAM is a legend

This guy was around for the Solvay conference in 1927.  A good recounting of the history of quantum mechanics and the mathematics underlying.

Note: In this episode he explains the correspondence of the particle and the wave outlook in terms of the harmonic oscillator. 

Research Links

• Lectures on Quantum Mechanics
• General Theory of Relativity – PAM Dirac

Sequence of Events

• 50% of the time a photon will be detected at the output of the left hand slit
• Source emits single photon
• Photon travels through both slits
• Due to the right hand path being low probability amplitude the interference pattern at the left slit is not complete interference.  It is lump with squiggle superimposed on it.
• The photon is measured there.  
• Since the photon is measured at the output of the left slit due to energy conservation it precludes it also being at the output of the right slit.  Thus it must be considered as mostly re emitted from the measurement location.
• The photon travels on to the screen where you see very little interference in the pattern.

So maybe the photon always goes through both slits at least somewhat?