If we know that a photon scatters an electron should it be tried as an indirect detector to say a deflector at one slit which can help to deduce the 'which path' information as only an electron that passes through a 'deflector free' slit can be recorded on the screen?If the vertical laser deflector is moved towards or away from the slit can it be deduced how much it may affect the collapse of the wave function for the particle?
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1$\begingroup$ Feynman discusses something very similar in Chapter 3 of the third volume of his Lectures in Physics, using a "light source" and a detector to try and see which slit the electron went through, explaining what would happen if we tried. $\endgroup$– PhilipCommented Sep 3, 2020 at 3:51
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$\begingroup$ @Philip What do You think will the laser beam if on the electron way towards the slit but far enough from the slit couse the collapse of the wave function as it were just tied to the slit? I pressume that the electron produces waves that are scattered from both slits which then interfere... Something like a boat makes waves near a shore which reflect and disturb the boat itself.... $\endgroup$– Krešimir BradvicaCommented Sep 3, 2020 at 18:01
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Any kind of detection of the electron, no matter how indirect, will cause the wave function to collapse. Moving a photon type detector away or closer to the slit may change the probability of a photon colliding with an electron. It's more reflective of the nature of the beam of photons than that of the electron's path probability, especially in regards to maintaining superposition. I think.
