Photon Wave-Particle Transition

Abstract

One of the most puzzling phenomena in quantum physics is the apparent dual nature of photons, sometimes behaving as electromagnetic waves and sometimes as particles, and much of the early development of quantum theory was centered around this dilemma. The theoretical construct of photon duality was launched at the time of inception of quantum physics in attempts to provide some explanation of a variety of experimental facts relating to photon behavior. The most immediate example is the simple emission and absorption processes in single atoms. The atom is the pointlike source of photon emission as well as the pointlike sink of photon absorption. In its flight from source to sink the photon undergoes a magic transition from pointlike to wave costume, and then back to pointlike behavior during absorption. Your own photographic camera is an equally direct example of the apparent duality behavior. The incident beam of light from the object to be photographed consists of photons. A particular photon entering the camera lens as a true electromagnetic wave, undergoing the regular transmission through the optical system, and then approaching the photographic film, can not spread its constant energy amongst several silver atoms constituting the photosensitive emulsion without violating its energy integrity.

‘The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.’

Albert Einstein