SPATIAL DEPENDENCE OF INTENSITIES IN THE SCHWARZ-HORA EXPERIMENT

Abstract

The experimentally observed periodic behavior of the Schwarz‐Hora radiation indirectly measures the relative phases in the electron's wave function. We show that previous calculations of the periodic behavior, which predict complete destructive interference where experimental maxima occur, are in error due to the one‐dimensional character of the models used. A three‐dimensional theory that predicts the correct phases is given. We also comment on the probable origin of the intensity's dependence on the polarization of the laser.