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The single photon / single electron double slit experiment shows particles appearing as dots on the screen. This is explained as being due to the collapse of their wavefunctions.

However, if they were point particles, we would not be able to see them at all. Instead, they have a radius upto which they appear as bright. That would mean there is some intensity of light emitted by the screen after absorption of the photon.

The light will not have the same intensity throughout that radius, and would decline along the radius. How can we quantitatively measure either the intensity of the incoming radiation along the surface of the screen or the intensity of light emitted by the screen?

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  • $\begingroup$ CCD imagers are pretty quantitative. And why should the screen have an electric field? $\endgroup$
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Feb 6 at 13:06
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    $\begingroup$ Why the close votes? This is a perfectly clear question. $\endgroup$
    – John Doty
    Commented Feb 6 at 13:34
  • $\begingroup$ The ear for sound! $\endgroup$
    – Farcher
    Commented Feb 6 at 13:43
  • $\begingroup$ @JonCuster CCD was exactly what I was asking about. They are measuring the charge density created by the fields.. so I wanted to know that. $\endgroup$
    – Blacklight MG
    Commented Feb 7 at 9:16
  • $\begingroup$ Interference of what: electrons, light, x-rays, microwaves, water waves, …? You mention a "screen", so it is unlikely to be water, but electrons, light, and x-rays could also by imaged by a screen. (And that does not include interference observed on an oscilloscope screen.) What is the wavelength? What is the size scale of the interference pattern? What is the intensity? Why do you want to quantitatively measure the pattern? I did not notice this question when it was posted or vote to close it, but I understand why it was closed. $\endgroup$
    – David Bailey
    Commented Feb 14 at 15:17

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For light, usually we use some sort of photoelectric detector like a CCD to sense the intensity.

For a radio version of the experiment, you can scan the field by moving an antenna and measure the amplitude with a radio frequency voltmeter.

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  • $\begingroup$ According to this answer, apparently CCD does not measure individual photons. I was curious as to whether a photon is a dot or a continuous spread, but the intensity at the center is relatively higher than the surroundings, making it look like a point spot. $\endgroup$
    – Blacklight MG
    Commented Feb 7 at 9:25

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