We show, both analytically and experimentally, that under common experimental conditions the interference pattern produced in a classic Young's double-slit experiment is indistinguishable from that generated by means of a doubly refracting uniaxial crystal whose optic axis makes a skew angle with the light propagation direction. The equivalence between diffraction and crystal optics interference experiments, taken for granted by Arago and Fresnel in their pioneering research on the interference of polarized light beams, is thus rigorously proven.
We show, both analytically and experimentally, that under common experimental conditions the interference pattern produced in a classic Young's double-slit experiment is indistinguishable from that generated by means of a doubly refracting uniaxial crystal whose optic axis makes a skew angle with the light propagation direction. The equivalence between diffraction and crystal optics interference experiments, taken for granted by Arago and Fresnel in their pioneering research on the interference of polarized light beams, is thus rigorously proven.
Abstract Young’s double slit experiment and Poisson/Arago spot experiment revived the wave theory of the light. The standard interpretation is that the light behaves as waves. Feynman called the double slit experiment the only mystery in quantum mechanics. Recently, the photon chamber has been proposed and utilized to study the behavior of photons near the detecting screen. The experiments show that the light, near the screen, behaves as photons propagating along the straight-line trajectories, and the trajectories distribute as waves. Furthermore, the photon chamber experiments show that, within certain macroscopic distance from the double slit, the pattern is non-interference, which indicates that the standard double slit experiments violate the standard wave interpretations. In this article, we show, the first time, that, within certain macroscopic distance from the ring, the pattern is non-interference, and how the non-interference pattern (near the ring) evolving to the interference pattern (far from the ring). The experiments show: (1) the nature of the patterns is distance-dependent; (2) to certain macroscopic distance from the ring, the light beams behave as particle; (3) when the distance increases, the non-interference pattern evolves to the interference pattern, i.e., the non-wave nature and the wave distribution coexist in the same wave experiment. The experiments: (1) provide novel phenomena/data for further theoretical development of the optics and for understanding the nature of the light.
Abstract Young’s double slit (and Arago spot) experiments revived the wave theory of light. In this article, we postulate and confirm the precise rule of convex lenses. We propose a new method to study the evolution of the patterns of single slit, double slit, triple slit, cross-double slit, ring, 1D-grating and 2D-grating experiments. The experiments show, for the first time, the novel universal phenomena: (1) Within a certain macroscopic distance from the diaphragm, light behaves as photons and produces a noninterference pattern, while at the far field, the photons produce an interference pattern; (2) The noninterference pattern evolves to the interference pattern gradually in the same experiment. The experiments provide profound phenomena/data for further theoretical development of optics and for understanding the nature of light. We suggest that a complete theory should be able to simultaneously interpret the noninterference pattern, the interference pattern, and the evolution from one pattern to another.
Young’s double slit experiment was called as "a phenomenon […] has in it the heart of quantum mechanics. In reality, it contains the only mystery. We cannot make the mystery go away by ‘explaining’ how it works". To study the mystery, we perform the non-crossing-slit-experiments and crossing-slit experiments and show phenomena: (1) in the same double slit or cross double slit experiments, the non-interference patterns gradually evolve to the interference patterns; (2) in the same single slit or cross single slit experiments, the non-diffraction patterns gradually evolve to the diffraction patterns; (3) in the same two-non-parallel-slits experiment, the non-wave patterns gradually evolve to the hybrid pattern (i.e., interference-pattern-embedded-in-diffraction-pattern); (4) in the same curved-double slit experiments, the non-interference patterns evolve to Seashell-shape interference patterns. The above phenomena show new mysteries that are more mysterious than that of the double slit experiments: it is challenge to consistently explain how they work. Those novel phenomena indicate that the standard theories of the double slit are incomplete. Novel experiments bring the search for the new theory of physical/quantum optics.
Young’s double slit experiment was called as "a phenomenon […] has in it the heart of quantum mechanics. In reality, it contains the only mystery. We cannot make the mystery go away by ‘explaining’ how it works". To study the mystery, we perform the non-crossing-slit-experiments and crossing-slit experiments and show phenomena: (1) in the same double slit or cross double slit experiments, the non-interference patterns gradually evolve to the interference patterns; (2) in the same single slit or cross single slit experiments, the non-diffraction patterns gradually evolve to the diffraction patterns; (3) in the same two-non-parallel-slits experiment, the non-wave patterns gradually evolve to the hybrid pattern (i.e., interference-pattern-embedded-in-diffraction-pattern); (4) in the same curved-double slit experiments, the non-interference patterns evolve to Seashell-shape interference patterns. The above phenomena show new mysteries that are more mysterious than that of the double slit experiments: it is challenge to consistently explain how they work. Those novel phenomena indicate that the standard theories of the double slit are incomplete. Novel experiments bring the search for the new theory of physical/quantum optics.
Young’s double slit (and Arago spot) experiments revived the wave theory of light. The standard interpretation is that the light behaves as waves before and after passing through the double slit. Feynman called the double slit experiment the only mystery in quantum mechanics. In this article, we postulate and experimentally confirm the precise rules of convex lenses. Based on those Postulates, we study the evolution of the patterns of single slit, double slit, triple slit, cross-double slit, disc ring, 1D-grating and 2D-grating experiments. The experiments show, for the first time, the novel universal phenomena: (1) Within a certain macroscopic distance from the diaphragm (Zone-1), light behaves as photons and produces a non-interference pattern, while near the screen (the far field, Zone-3), the photons produce an interference pattern, while between Zone-1 and Zone-3 (Zone-2), the photons produce an non-interference pattern; namely the nature and characteristics of the pattern are distance dependent; (2) The non-interference pattern evolves to the interference pattern gradually in the same experiment; (3) The convex lens stops the evolution of the patterns. The experiments provide profound phenomena/data for further theoretical development of optics and for understanding the nature of light. We suggest that a complete theory should be able to interpret the non-interference pattern in Zone-1, the non-interference pattern in Zone-2, and the interference pattern in Zone-3; and the evolution from one pattern to another.
Young’s double slit (and Arago spot) experiments revived the wave theory of light. The standard interpretation is that the light behaves as waves before and after passing through the double slit. Feynman called the double slit experiment the only mystery in quantum mechanics. In this article, we postulate and experimentally confirm the precise rules of convex lenses. Based on those Postulates, we study the evolution of the patterns of single slit, double slit, triple slit, cross-double slit, disc ring, 1D-grating and 2D-grating experiments. The experiments show, for the first time, the novel universal phenomena: (1) Within a certain macroscopic distance from the diaphragm (Zone-1), light behaves as photons and produces a non-interference pattern, while near the screen (the far field, Zone-3), the photons produce an interference pattern, while between Zone-1 and Zone-3 (Zone-2), the photons produce an non-interference pattern; namely the nature and characteristics of the pattern are distance dependent; (2) The non-interference pattern evolves to the interference pattern gradually in the same experiment; (3) The convex lens stops the evolution of the patterns. The experiments provide profound phenomena/data for further theoretical development of optics and for understanding the nature of light. We suggest that a complete theory should be able to interpret the non-interference pattern in Zone-1, the non-interference pattern in Zone-2, and the interference pattern in Zone-3; and the evolution from one pattern to another.