So if we have a polarizing beamsplitting cube and we send a single photon into it with a polarization angle at 45 degrees to the reflect (and pass through) angles, what happens to it?
So if we have a polarizing beamsplitting cube and we send a single photon into it with a polarization angle at 45 degrees to the reflect (and pass through) angles, what happens to it?
Random exit on either face or a small chance of adsorbtion..
conservation of energy says you can't create another one, and there is nothing as far as nonlinear optics goes to split it into two lower energy photons, so your choices are adsorption, or emission down one path.
Steve
where are you going to get one photon?
Pat B
laserman532 on ebay
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt & selling it in a garage sale.
JDSU works on single photon diode lasers for ultra secure communications. You can't intercept a single photon transmission without disturbing it. There is also the Free Electron Laser. I believe there was one other.
Well, dealing with such small quantities we enter the realm of quantum mechanics. This is a world where strange things happen.
If measured, it will be found that the photon either passes through or is reflected with a 50% probability. If you don't measure it however, the photon will both pass through and be reflected! To further complicate matters, one could perhaps even set up a Stern-Gerlach type experiment.
At least 1 qubit!
Thanks Tocket for wasting 30 minutes of work-time for my employer and making my head hurt...again!
" Stern-Gerlach type experiment."
This explains it super easy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDmbdTtcoPM
Actually...no it didnt. Back in the old days during geometric optics course we had to draw (by pencil i might add) ray traces as particles, then the next year during wave optics course we had to ray trace as wave fronts...Why??? because no one knows whether "photons" are waves or particles (it is an electromagnetic something or other) or....Something else completely!!! (insert scary music here).
But to answer OP question- A single photon going through a PBS cube more than likely will be completely dispursed and absorbed due to scattering effects of the material
Pat B
laserman532 on ebay
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt & selling it in a garage sale.