An experiment to improve understanding wave-particle duality

Abstract

This article presents an experiment that can be conducted today and that could provide a deeper understanding of the interaction between the wave and particle aspects of an atom. The wave-particle duality is often presented as mutually exclusive: one considers either the wave aspect or the particle aspect. Our proposed experiment involves both aspects simultaneously and raises new questions. It is a slightly modified version of Young's double-slit interference experiment (a grid of narrow slits is added between the two wide slits) and is carried out using Rydberg atoms. Young-type interference experiments typically involve only the de Broglie wave $\psi$, which depends solely on the mass and velocity of the atoms. However, with Rydberg atoms having a large principal quantum number, the ``size'' of the atom-particle also becomes significant. The two large slits are wide enough to allow the Rydberg atoms to pass through, whereas the grid of narrow slits prevents them from passing through. We numerically simulate the possible outcomes based on different hypotheses regarding wave-particle interaction. Conducting the experiment in practice would allow us to distinguish between these hypotheses and deepen our understanding of wave-particle interaction. The conceptual framework of Louis de Broglie's double solution theory is well-suited to this experiment because it distinguishes between two types of waves: an external or statistical wave (de Broglie's wave) and an internal or physical wave (corresponding to the physical particle). We will examine the relevance of this approach.