The entire history of a photon

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of a quantum experiment, confirming standard quantum mechanics predictions and revealing photon presence at all mirrors, using basic mathematical tools.

Contribution

It offers a full analytical explanation of the experiment, clarifying photon behavior and addressing previous interpretations with new insights.

Findings

Data aligns with standard quantum mechanics

Photons are present at all mirrors in the setup

Explains absence and presence of certain experimental peaks

Abstract

Using the most basic mathematical tools, I present the full analysis of the experiment decribed in [A. Danan, D. Farfurnik, S. Bar-Ad, and L. Vaidman, {\em Phys. Rev. Lett.} {\bf 111}, 240402 (2013)]. First, I confirm that the data presented therein are in full agreement with the standard quantum mechanics. I then show other symptoms of presence of photons at all mirrors in the setup. I then analytically explain both the absence of peaks a Readers of [A. Danan, D. Farfurnik, S. Bar-Ad, and L. Vaidman, {\em Phys. Rev. Lett.} {\bf 111}, 240402 (2013)] are made to expect and presence of those not discussed in the Reference.