In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers have precisely measured the time a photon spends within a quantum barrier, a phenomenon known as quantum tunneling. This discovery, published in the journal Nature, challenges a key prediction of Bohm's interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Bohm's interpretation, proposed in 1952, suggests particles have defined trajectories guided by a "pilot wave." According to this theory, a particle entering an infinite barrier should remain there indefinitely. However, the recent experiment shows photons traverse the barrier at a measurable speed, indicating the dwell time is not infinite.
The experiment involved photons confined between mirrors with a fluorescent liquid, forcing them to behave as if they had mass. Researchers designed a structure with parallel channels and a "ramp" to generate photons with different energies. The key was a barrier so extensive it appeared infinite to the photon. Upon traversing the barrier, photons shifted laterally, allowing the measurement of their dwell time.
This study provides empirical data to a debate previously confined to theory, opening a new stage in exploring quantum tunneling. Quantum mechanics has been remarkably successful in predicting subatomic phenomena, but its interpretation remains a field of philosophical debate and unresolved paradoxes. This work provides a reliable measurement, connecting ideas with measurements and opening a new stage in quantum tunneling exploration.
This advancement is crucial, allowing direct observation of previously abstract phenomena, giving quantum physics a more tangible and verifiable dimension.