More EPR Simulation Discussion

[FrediFizzx]

...and what about when the slits are not made of atoms and electrons, but standing waves of light? like, e.g here:

What about it?

I'm curious about this statement,

We have demonstrated that structures made of light can be used to coherently control the motion of complex molecules. In particular, we showed diffraction of the fullerenes C60 and C70 by a thin grating made of green laser light.

Is that so much different than Jay's guiding potential?

[minkwe]

...and what about when the slits are not made of atoms and electrons, but standing waves of light? like, e.g here:

What about it?

I'm curious about this statement,

We have demonstrated that structures made of light can be used to coherently control the motion of complex molecules. In particular, we showed diffraction of the fullerenes C60 and C70 by a thin grating made of green laser light.

Is that so much different than Jay's guiding potential?

Yes! Here they have momentum being transferred from photons moving in one direction to molecules travelling perpendicularly to the photons. The molecules are detected to reveal the pattern. In the other case, you have photons being deflected by transferring momentum to slits which oscillate perpendicularly to the photons direction of travel. The photons are detected to reveal the pattern. At the center of both cases you have momentum transfer. Mechanically you have collision between two particles, during which momentum is transferred and their directions change based on the amount and direction of momentum transferred.

I do not see why a "guiding potential" is needed in either case. How is a "guiding potential" supposed to work (mechanically) anyway. How can it guide particles (ie, change their direction) without momentum transfer? However, if you do not know the detailed mechanics of what is happening, you might create a model which takes into account the probability distribution of directions of deviation, abstracted into some sort of mathematical beast you could call a "guiding potential" (cf epicycles). Then such a model will work to reproduce the diffraction pattern, but provides zero clues as to what is happening mechanically.