The principle of linear superposition and interference phenomena

Paul Peter Urone, Roger A. Hinrichs

Lingguang Xu

This paper is the fourth in the XLG Medium Quantum Theory (XLG-MQT) series. It presents the medium interpretation of key quantum phenomena, including double-slit interference, quantum tunneling, the uncertainty principle, Bell-type correlations, and orbital precession. All phenomena are derived from the medium dynamics of the KuiQuark Sea. Photons are treated as density perturbations of the medium. Interference arises from linear superposition of perturbations. Tunneling is exponential attenuation of perturbation amplitude through a high-pressure barrier. The uncertainty principle is shown to be a measurement limit imposed by intrinsic medium fluctuations. Bell-type correlations are explained by continuous medium coupling, not by nonlocal action. Orbital precession is derived from the nonlinear density gradient of the KuiQuark Sea. No probability waves, wavefunction collapse, or nonlocal assumptions are introduced.

Reinaldo Welti

Abstract In the explanations of the double slit experiment it is usually assumed that the superposition of the diffracted waves by two separate slits (one open and another closed) is the same as superimposing the diffracted waves when both slits are open at the same time. This naïve use of the superposition principle is generally not valid in either classical electromagnetism or quantum mechanics. As we will see, the diffraction diagram of one of the slits is altered when the other is open and when the slits are closer, the interaction between them is greater. In this work we will analyse the interaction between different types of sources (antennas, loudspeakers and, of course, slits) and we will show how this interaction explains the apparent anomalies in energy conservation and also the recent results of Young’s interference that show that the total diffracted intensity is reduced or increased depending on the distance between the slits. We also make a brief comment on the contributions of our work to the supposed looped trajectories of energy in interference phenomena.

B. G. Neal

Leon Gunther

M. Štefaňák

One of the key features of quantum mechanics is the interference of probability amplitudes. The reason for the appearance of interference is mathematically very simple. It is the linear structure of the Hilbert space which is used for the description of quantum systems. In terms of physics we usually talk about the superposition principle valid for individual and composed quantum objects. So, while the source of interference is understandable it leads in fact to many counter-intuitive physical phenomena which puzzle physicists for almost hundred years. The present thesis studies interference in two seemingly disjoint fields of physics. However, both have strong links to quantum information processing and hence are related. In the first part we study the intriguing properties of quantum walks. In the second part we analyze a sophisticated application of wave packet dynamics in atoms and molecules for factorization of integers. The main body of the thesis is based on the original contributions listed separately at the end of the thesis. The more technical aspects and brief summaries of used methods are left for appendices.