When detectors are placed right at the double slits and light is passed through, the behavior of light can indeed be observed as particles rather than a wave. This phenomenon is known as the "particle-like" behavior or "particle-like" detection of light.
In the famous double-slit experiment, when light passes through two closely spaced slits and a screen is placed behind them, an interference pattern is observed on the screen, indicating the wave-like nature of light. However, if detectors or photon-counting devices are placed at the slits to determine which path each photon takes, the interference pattern disappears, and individual particles, called photons, are detected at specific positions on the screen.
This observation can be explained by the principle of wave-particle duality, which is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. According to this principle, particles like photons exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior, depending on how they are observed or measured. When there is no attempt to measure which path the photons take, they behave as waves and exhibit interference. But when the detection apparatus is introduced to determine the path of the photons, they behave more like particles, and the interference pattern disappears.
This phenomenon can be attributed to the interaction between the photons and the measurement apparatus. The act of measuring or observing the path of a photon disturbs its wave-like behavior, causing it to "collapse" into a specific position, as if it were a particle. This is known as the "observer effect" or "measurement problem" in quantum mechanics.
It's important to note that the behavior of light in the double-slit experiment is just one example of wave-particle duality. Similar experiments and observations have been conducted with other particles, such as electrons, which also exhibit wave-like and particle-like behavior depending on the experimental setup. The dual nature of particles is a fundamental characteristic of quantum mechanics and is still an area of ongoing research and exploration.