Engineering question: How does the electron gun shoot one electron at a time to the double slit target? How was this possible when the experiment was done 100 years ago? How is this done with photons? Is there a check to ensure only one electron/photon is arriving at the target?
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This isn't really the same question, but it may help - Does the collapse of the wave function happen immediately everywhere? – mmesser314 Dec 11 '22 at 00:34
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In a standard transmission electron microscope there is only one electron in the column at a time. Low current, and they move fast… – Jon Custer Dec 11 '22 at 01:57
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see https://www.sps.ch/artikel/progresses/wave-particle-duality-of-light-for-the-classroom-13/ – anna v Dec 11 '22 at 06:03
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also this https://www.teachspin.com/two-slit – anna v Dec 11 '22 at 06:08
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In practice, you set the intensity of the source to a level at which it is unlikely that there is more than one electron or photon in the apparatus at a time. It doesn't have to be perfect.
John Doty
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For photons there are single-photon sources that can truly only emit one photon at a time. – Jon Custer Dec 11 '22 at 01:42
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@JonCuster True, but the classic experiments didn't use them and they are not necessary. – John Doty Dec 11 '22 at 01:51
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