In the double slit experiment, the sensor or detector does absorb the photon when it interacts with it. However, it does not immediately generate a new photon that continues to the screen. Instead, the detection of the photon by the sensor allows us to determine the position or presence of the photon at that particular moment.
In the double slit experiment, a beam of particles, such as photons or electrons, is directed towards a barrier with two small slits. Beyond the barrier, a screen is placed to record the resulting pattern. When the particles pass through the slits, they behave as both particles and waves, leading to an interference pattern on the screen.
The purpose of the sensor or detector is to register the presence of a particle (photon) when it arrives at a specific location on the screen. The detection process involves absorbing the photon's energy, typically by an electronic mechanism in the detector.
It's important to note that the act of detection or measurement itself can influence the behavior of the particle. In the double slit experiment, the detection of the particle at the screen collapses its wave-like behavior, causing it to behave more like a particle at that moment. This phenomenon is known as the "observer effect" or "wavefunction collapse."
To summarize, the sensor in the double slit experiment absorbs the energy of the detected photon, but it does not generate a new photon that continues to the screen. The detection allows us to determine the presence or position of the photon at that particular moment, and the overall pattern on the screen is built up by many such detections over time.