- #1
zonde
Gold Member
- 2,961
- 224
I would like to hear comments about interpretation of photon interference in context with Pfleegor-Mandel experiment "Interference of Independent Photon Beams". There is a blog post about this experiment: http://scienceblogs.com/principles/2010/11/19/interference-of-independent-ph/. Original article is behind paywall but I googled and found a free version.
I am using certain interpretation of photon interference and find it quite consistent with this experiment. My interpretation is that wavefunction actually describes photon source (photon source is undergoing evolution in time) but photon beam is just a passive transport of wavefunction to receiver. So evolution of source is continuous but transport of this evolution function is discrete (evolution function is encoded in photon ensemble consisting of discrete entries - photons). Receiver adjusts it's function of evolution as it receives photon beam by different responses to particular photon (absorption, reflection, transmission). Now interference effect is continuous adjustment of receiver’s evolution when two beams overlap in an "inconsistent" way.
Is such an interpretation of photon interference in conflict with QM? Is there an interpretation that fits this experiment better?
I am using certain interpretation of photon interference and find it quite consistent with this experiment. My interpretation is that wavefunction actually describes photon source (photon source is undergoing evolution in time) but photon beam is just a passive transport of wavefunction to receiver. So evolution of source is continuous but transport of this evolution function is discrete (evolution function is encoded in photon ensemble consisting of discrete entries - photons). Receiver adjusts it's function of evolution as it receives photon beam by different responses to particular photon (absorption, reflection, transmission). Now interference effect is continuous adjustment of receiver’s evolution when two beams overlap in an "inconsistent" way.
Is such an interpretation of photon interference in conflict with QM? Is there an interpretation that fits this experiment better?