This paper presents the historical background behind the repeated discovery and repeated ignoring of the generic important property of all propagating waves, the Non-Interaction of Waves (NIW). The focus will be on the implications of NIW in most of the major optical phenomena with brief hints of importance. We argue that the prevailing postulate of wave-particle duality becomes unnecessary, once we accept NIW. Semi-classical model of treating light-matter interactions should be the preferred approach since the quantumness actually arises from within the structure of the energy levels (bands) in materials. Waves, and wave equations, do not support bullet-like propagation. We follow the historical trend starting from the tenth century physicist Alhazen, to the seventeenth century Newton and Huygens, then to the nineteenth century Young and Fresnel. Then we jump to twentieth century physicists Planck, Einstein, Bose, Dirac and Feynman. Had we recognized and appreciated NIW property of waves from the time of Alhazen, the evolutionary history of physics would have been dramatically different from what we have today. The prevailing dominance of the postulate of wave-particle duality is keeping us confused from seeking out actual reality; and hence, we should abandon this concept and search out better models. The paper demonstrates that NIW provides us with a platform for deeper understanding of the nature of EM waves that we have missed; it is not just semantics.
This paper presents the historical background behind the repeated discovery and repeated ignoring of the generic important property of all propagating waves, the Non-Interaction of Waves (NIW). The focus will be on the implications of NIW in most of the major optical phenomena with brief hints of importance. We argue that the prevailing postulate of wave-particle duality becomes unnecessary, once we accept NIW. Semi-classical model of treating light-matter interactions should be the preferred approach since the quantumness actually arises from within the structure of the energy levels (bands) in materials. Waves, and wave equations, do not support bullet-like propagation. We follow the historical trend starting from the tenth century physicist Alhazen, to the seventeenth century Newton and Huygens, then to the nineteenth century Young and Fresnel. Then we jump to twentieth century physicists Planck, Einstein, Bose, Dirac and Feynman. Had we recognized and appreciated NIW property of waves from the time of Alhazen, the evolutionary history of physics would have been dramatically different from what we have today. The prevailing dominance of the postulate of wave-particle duality is keeping us confused from seeking out actual reality; and hence, we should abandon this concept and search out better models. The paper demonstrates that NIW provides us with a platform for deeper understanding of the nature of EM waves that we have missed; it is not just semantics.
A Causal Photon Model for Optical Scientists & Engineers Causal Physics: Photons by Non Interactions of Waves redefines the mathematical Superposition Principle as an operational Superposition Effect; which is the measurable physical transformation experienced by a detector due to stimulations induced by multiple waves simultaneously acting on the detecting dipoles. This light-matter interaction process driven model emerges naturally by incorporating the observed properties, Non-Interaction of Waves (NIW) and quantized photo detectors needing to fill up their "quantum-cups" with the required quantity of energy from all the stimulating waves around it. By not incorporating this NIW-property explicitly, quantum mechanics failed to extract various embedded realities in the theory while incorporated unnecessary hypotheses like wave-particle duality. The book utilizes this NIW-property to explain all the major optical phenomena (diffraction, spectrometry, coherence.) without using any self-contradictory hypotheses that are prevalent now. An Unconventional Book for All Physicists The book redefines the old ether (constituting the space) as a stationary Complex Tension Field (CTF), holding all the energy of the universe (no need for Dark Energy of Dark Matter). CTF sustains perpetually propagating EM waves as its linear excitations and the particles as self-looped localized resonant non-linear excitations. Tensions are identified by Maxwell, then the velocities of emitting and detecting atoms through the CTF contribute to the Doppler shifts separately. This calls for re-visiting physical processes behind Hubble Redshift and hence Expanding Universe. Novel Strategy for All Critical Thinkers: Visualize the Invisibles The success of the book derives from a novel thinking strategy of visualizing the invisible interaction processes, named as Interaction Process Mapping Epistemology (IPM-E). This is over and above the prevailing strategy of Measurable Data Modeling Epistemology (MDM-E). The approach inspires the next generation of physicists to recognizing that the "foundation of the edifice of physics" has not yet been finalized. IPM-E will stimulate more of us to become technology innovators by learning to emulate the ontologically real physical processes in nature and become more evolution congruent. Critical thinkers without expertise in optical science and engineering, will appreciate the value of the content by reading the book backward, starting from Ch.12; which explains the critical thinking methodology besides giving a very brief summary of the contents in the previous chapters. Establishes that abandoning the wave-particle-duality actually allows us to extract more realities out of quantum mechanics. Illustrates how the discovery of the NIW-property profoundly impacts several branches of fundamental physics, including Doppler effect and hence the cosmological red shift Summarizes that many ad hoc hypotheses from physics can be removed, a la Occam’s razor, while improving the reality and comprehension of some of the current working theories Demonstrates that our persistent attempts to restore causality in physical theories will be guided by our capability to visualize the invisible light matter interaction processes that are behind the emergence of all measurable data Draws close attention to the invisible but ontological interaction processes behind various optical phenomena so we can emulate them more efficiently and knowledgably in spite of limitations of our theories Designed as a reference book for general physics and philosophy, this optical science and engineering book is an ideal resource for optical engineers, physicists, and those working with modern optical equipment and high precision instrumentation.
Huygens-Fresnel diffraction integral is the foundation for optical science and engineering since 1817, including the mathematical improvements. This integral propagates Huygens’ individual secondary wavelets unperturbed through each other. Huygens postulated this Non-Interaction of Waves (NIW) in his 1690 book, Treatise on Light. Quantum Electrodynamics also indicates NIW since the computed photon-photon interaction cross-section is immeasurably small. The linear sum of complex amplitudes does not represent an observable phenomenon. Fringes represent the energy absorbed by a detector as the square modulus of the sum of amplitude stimulation experienced by it. The detectors’ intrinsic properties determine the observable fringes. Due to our neglect of Huygens’ NIW, we are carrying on erroneous interpretations for several major optical phenomena. Our proposed experiment-guided curriculum will rectify the confusions. The new book will be developed using the currently published reference book, “Causal Physics; Photon by Non-Interaction of Waves”, Taylor and Francis, 2014 [1].
Optical science and engineering have been playing key enabling roles behind the continuous advancement of physics since ancient times. We have to pick up that role again. Recent publications by physicists Smolin [1], “Trouble with Physics”, 2007 and Hossenfelder [2], “Lost in Math”, 2018, are deeply troubling for the future of Physics and our credibility as the gatekeeper of the enabling knowledge of Optical Physics. We will explain how the various erroneous interpretations related to Relativity (e.g. time dilation), to Quantum Mechanics (Superposition Principle) and Astrophysics (Holographic Universe) arise due to the (i) use of non-causal Fourier modes (existing in all space) as tools of nature’s reality and (ii) neglect of Non-Interaction of Waves (NIW). NIW indicates that simple superposition of Fourier modes, in the absence of interacting materials, cannot generate spatio-temporal re-grouping of wave energies. System engineering thinking will be underscored that can constrain our math models to stick to realities. We will present examples on how understanding NIW in optical phenomena can help us bring out causal interpretations and causal models in some of the key branches of Physics.
Sensors are measuring tools. In any measurement, we have at least two different kinds of interactants. We never know all there are to know about any one of these interactants and the interaction processes that are mostly invisible. Yet, our engineering innovation driven evolution is persisting for over five million years. It is then important to articulate explicitly our Interaction Process Mapping Thinking (IPM-T) that we keep applying in the real world without formally recognizing it. We present how the systematic application of IPM-T removes century old wave-particle duality by introducing a model of hybrid photon. It seamlessly bridges the quantum and the classical worlds. Photons are discrete energy packets only at the moment of emission; then they evolve diffractively and propagate as classical waves. Thus, "interference of a single indivisible photon" is only a non-causal assertion. We apply IPM-T to improve the photoelectric equation and we obtain Non-Interaction of Wave (NIW) amplitudes. Note that Huygens explicitly articulated NIW by postulating his "secondary spherical wavelets." Later Fresnel incorporated this postulate in the now famous Huygens- Fresnel (HF) diffraction integral. Most modern optical science and engineering are based upon propagating EM waves through optical devices and systems using this integral in some form or other. Maxwell’s wave equation accepts HF integral as its solution. Systematic application of IPM-T to our causal and working mathematical equations, along with NIW in interferometric experiments, reveal that Superposition Effects can emerge only when the interacting material dipoles respond, whether classically or quantum mechanically, to the joint stimulations due to all the simultaneously superposed waves. This indicates the non-causality of our belief that a single indivisible photon can interfere by itself. We would not have a causally evolving universe had any stable elementary particle were to change itself through selfinterference. Further, our working superposition equations always contain two or more terms representing two or more independently evolving entities. That is why we need physical instruments with two or more independent channels of propagation along with appropriately placed detectors to generate physical superposition effects. Nature does not violate causality. Otherwise, our causally framed equations would not have been working so elegantly.
We present the critical steps involved in any measurement process, which tell us that force‐free and intervention‐free measurements are not possible. We add to this the NIW‐principle, Non‐Interference of Waves, which has been neglected by us for centuries even though it is obvious from careful observations of crossing of all material based waves and light beams. Then we underscore that the foundational assumption behind the time‐frequency Fourier theorem does not represent any physical reality even though mathematical computation does give the desired results. It assumes that simple superposition of monochromatic Fourier waves, by themselves, can generate time finite pulses due to interference. Unfortunately, the NIW‐principle forbids it. Founders of quantum physics, oblivious of the existence of the NIW‐principle, assumed that superposition of light beams produce the observed fringes. In reality, the superposition effects become observable because the quantized detectors carry out the summation of the joint stimulations. Thus, quantum physicists mistakenly assigned the quantum behavior of detectors on to light (photons). Based on these observations, we underscore that the ultimate purpose of physical theories is to facilitate the visualization of the invisible interaction processes, rather than simply model the measured data, as is customary now.
Non-interaction of waves (NIW) in the linear domain is an unappreciated but general principle of nature. Explicit recognition of this NIW-principle will add renewed momentum to the progress of fundamental physics and related technologies like spectrometry, coherence, polarizations, laser mode-locking, etc. This principle helps us appreciate that the mathematical correctness of a theorem and its capability to predict certain groups of measured data, do not necessarily imply that the theorem is always capable of mapping real interaction processes in nature. The time-frequency Fourier theorem (TF-FT) is an example since superposed light beams, by themselves, cannot reorganize or sum their energies. Quantum Mechanics (QM) correctly discovered that photons (light beams) are non-interacting bosons. Yet, to accommodate (i) the classical belief that light beams interfere (interact) by themselves, and (ii) Einstein's heuristic hypothesis that discrete packets of energy emitted by molecules travel as indivisible quanta (contradicting spontaneous diffractive spreading), QM has been forced to hypothesize that a photon interferes only with itself. In reality, it is the quantized detecting material media that make the superposition effects become manifest as their physical transformations, from bound electrons to released photoelectrons, after absorbing energy from all the beams due to induced simultaneous stimulations by the beams.