Wave Particle Duality

Light can exhibit both kind of nature of waves and particles

so the light shows wave-particle dual nature.

In some cases like interference, diffraction and polarization

it behaves as wave while in other cases like photoelectric
and Compton effect it behaves as particles (photon).
De Broglie Waves
Not only the light but every material particle such as
electron, proton or even the heavier object exhibits wave-
particle dual nature.
De-Broglie proposed that a moving particle, irrespective of
its nature, has waves associated with it. These waves are
called “matter waves” or “De-Broglie waves”.
Waves of Probability ????
Derivation of Formula
Since, Energy of a photon is

E  h
For a particle, say photon of mass, m

E  mc 2
 mc 2  hv
2 hc
mc 

h

mc
Suppose a particle of mass, m is moving with velocity, v then
the wavelength associated with it can be given by
h h
 or  
mv p
(i) If v  0     means that waves are associated with
moving material particles only.
(ii) De-Broglie wave does not depend on whether the moving
particle is charged or uncharged. It means matter waves are not
electromagnetic in nature.
Wave Velocity or Phase Velocity
When a monochromatic wave travels through a medium, its
velocity of advancement in the medium is called the wave
velocity or phase velocity (Vp).

Vp 
k
where   2 is the angular frequency

2
and k  is the wave number.

Group Velocity
Generally, we come across with the pulses rather than
monochromatic waves. A pulse consists of a number of
waves differing slightly from one another in frequency.

So the group velocity is the velocity with which the energy in

the group is transmitted (Vg).

The individual waves travel “inside” the group with their

phase velocities.

d
Vg 
dk
Relation between Phase and Group Velocity
d d
Vg   (kV p )
dk dk
dV p
Vg  V p  k
dk
2 dV p
Vg  V p 
 d 2  
1 dV p
Vg  V p 
 d 1  
 1 dV p
Vg  V p 
 1 

 2 d  
  
dV p
Vg  V p  
d
In a non-dispersive medium - such as empty space
( in a non-dispersive medium if you change the
wave-frequency, the wave-length adjusts such
that v remains constant)
  Vp
 constant
k
dV p
 0
d
 Vg  V p
In a Dispersive medium Vp depends on frequency

i.e.  constant
k
dV p
So,  is positive generally (not always).
d
 Vg  V p generally
dV p
Vg  V p  
d
Phase Velocity of De-Broglie’s waves
According to De-Broglie’s hypothesis of matter waves
h

mv
2 2mv
wave number k  (i)
 h
If a particle has energy E, then corresponding wave will have
frequency E

h
2E
then angular frequency will be   2 
h
 2mc 2
 (ii)
h
Dividing (ii) by (i)
 2mc 2 h
 
k h 2mv
c2
Vp 
v
But v is always < c (velocity of light)
(i) Velocity of De-Broglie’s waves V p  c (not acceptable)

(ii) De-Broglie’s waves (V p ) will move faster than the particle

velocity (v) and hence the waves would left the particle
behind.
Group Velocity of De-Broglie’s waves
The discrepancy is resolved by postulating that a moving
particle is associated with a “wave packet” or “wave
group”, rather than a single wave-train.
A wave group having wavelength λ is composed of a
number of component waves with slightly different
wavelengths in the neighborhood of λ.
Suppose a particle of rest mass mo moving with velocity v
then associated matter wave will have
2mc 2 and 2mv mo
 k where m
h h 1 v2 c2
 2mo c 2 2mo v
 and k
2 2
h 1 v c h 1 v2 c2

On differentiating w.r.t. velocity, v

d 2mo v
 (i)

dv h 1  v 2 c 2  3
2

dk 2mo (ii)


dv h 1  v 2 c 2 
3
2
 Dividing (i) by (ii)

d dv 2mo v
. 
dv dk 2mo

d
 v  Vg
dk
Wave group associated with a moving particle also moves
with the velocity of the particle.

Moving particle  wave packet or wave group

Davisson & Germer experiment of electron
diffraction
• If particles have a wave nature, then under appropriate
conditions, they should exhibit diffraction
• Davisson & Germer measured the wavelength of electrons
• This provided experimental confirmation of the matter waves
proposed by de Broglie
Davisson and Germer Experiment
 0
Incident Beam   90

 0
Current vs accelerating voltage has a maximum (a bump or
kink noticed in the graph), i.e. the highest number of electrons
is scattered in a specific direction.
The bump becomes most prominent for 54 V at φ ~ 50°
 According to de Broglie, the wavelength associated with an
electron accelerated through V volts is
12.28 o
 A
V
Hence the wavelength for 54 V electron
12.28 o
  1.67 A
54
From X-ray analysis we know that the nickel crystal acts as a
plane diffraction grating with grating space d = 0.91 Å
Here the diffraction angle, φ ~ 50°
The angle of incidence relative to the family of Bragg’s plane
 180o  50o  o

  
  65
 2 
From the Bragg’s equation
  2d sin 
o o
  2  (0.91 A)  sin 65o  1.65 A
which is equivalent to the λ calculated by de-Broglie’s
hypothesis.
It confirms the wavelike nature of electrons
Electron Microscope: Instrumental Application of
Matter Waves
Resolving power of any optical instrument is proportional to the
wavelength of whatever (radiation or particle) is used to
illuminate the sample.

An optical microscope uses visible light and gives 500x

magnification and 200 nm resolution.

Fast electron in electron microscope, however, have much shorter

wavelength than those of visible light and hence a resolution of
~0.1 nm and a magnification of 1,000,000x can be achieved in an
Electron Microscope.