Abstract:
The article examines the wave and corpuscular nature of quantum objects using the example of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer and discusses the possibility of the so-called “supertunnel effect”. It is shown how the behavior of a photon in an interferometer is determined not by switching between a wave and a particle, but by the preservation or loss of coherence of its quantum amplitude. Key mechanisms are analyzed: formation of superposition at the beam splitter, interference from coherent amplitude recombination, decoherence induced by path information leakage, and recovery of interference in quantum-eraser schemes. Analogous phenomena for electrons, neutrons, atoms and large molecules are discussed, with attention to dominant decoherence sources (collisions, thermal radiation, internal degrees of freedom) and the shrinking de Broglie wavelength of massive objects. The influence of mass, momentum and barrier parameters on tunneling probability is treated, and practical strategies to enhance tunneling (barrier engineering, resonant tunneling, collective effects, and reducing effective mass) are outlined. The conclusion is that quantum laws are universal: wave-like and particle-like manifestations depend on the experimental context and coherence preservation rather than an intrinsic conversion of the object. The concept of “supertunneling” is framed as potentially realizable only if decoherence and exponential suppression can be overcome, with suggested routes for experimental pursuit.
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