Understanding quantum polarized-light interference experiments through electromagnetic energy flow lines
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چکیده
General expressions to obtain the electromagnetic energy flow lines behind interference gratings are derived in the case where the incident light consists of a polarized monochromatic plane wave. These flow lines show how the electromagnetic energy redistributes in space (behind the grating) until the Fraunhofer regime is reached, thus providing an interpretation based on photon paths for the physics underlying interference phenomena with light. Within this interpretation, one finds that the outcome from a Young’s experiment is related in a simple manner to how the electromagnetic energy flux is influenced by the experimental setup, specifically, how the presence of polarizers on each slit and the boundaries imposed by having one or both slits open affect at each time the electromagnetic energy flow, which is directly linked to the Arago-Fresnel laws.
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تاریخ انتشار 1993