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Momentum Transfer to a Free Floating Double Slit: Realization of a Thought Experiment from the Einstein-Bohr Debates

L. Ph. H. Schmidt, J. Lower, T. Jahnke, S. Schößler, M. S. Schöffler, A. Menssen, C. Lévêque, N. Sisourat, R. Taïeb, H. Schmidt-Böcking, and R. Dörner
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 103201 – Published 5 September 2013
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Abstract

We simultaneously measured the momentum transferred to a free-floating molecular double slit and the momentum change of the atom scattering from it. Our experimental results are compared to quantum mechanical and semiclassical models. The results reveal that a classical description of the slits, which was used by Einstein in his debate with Bohr, provides a surprisingly good description of the experimental results, even for a microscopic system, if momentum transfer is not ascribed to a specific pathway but shared coherently and simultaneously between both.

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  • Received 20 March 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.103201

© 2013 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Classical vs Quantum

Published 5 September 2013

An experimental realization of one of Einstein’s thought experiments shows that the quantum world is even more complex than previously thought.

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Authors & Affiliations

L. Ph. H. Schmidt1,*, J. Lower1, T. Jahnke1, S. Schößler1, M. S. Schöffler1, A. Menssen1, C. Lévêque2, N. Sisourat2, R. Taïeb2, H. Schmidt-Böcking1, and R. Dörner1

  • 1Institut für Kernphysik, Goethe-Universität, Max-von-Laue-Straße 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • 2Laboratoire de Chimie Physique-Matière et Rayonnement, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 Paris 05, France

  • *Lothar.Schmidt@atom.uni-frankfurt.de

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Issue

Vol. 111, Iss. 10 — 6 September 2013

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