Visualizing superposition process and appreciating the principle of non-interaction of waves

Michael Ambroselli; Chandrasekhar Roychoudhuri

doi:10.1117/12.893565

28 September 2011 Visualizing superposition process and appreciating the principle of non-interaction of waves

Michael Ambroselli, Chandrasekhar Roychoudhuri

Proceedings Volume 8121, The Nature of Light: What are Photons? IV; 81211F (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893565
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We demonstrate the dynamic evolution of superposition effects to underscore the importance of visualizing interaction processes. The model recognizes the principle of Non-Interaction of Waves. Recordable linear fringes, bisecting the Poynting vectors of the two crossing beams, have time evolving amplitude patterns in the bright fringes because the two superposed E-vectors oscillate through zero values while staying locked in phase. If a detector registers steady, stable bright fringes, it must do so by time integration. The QM recipe to model energy exchange by taking the square modulus of the sum of the complex amplitudes has this time integration built into it. Thus, we will also underscore the importance of assigning proper physical processes to the mathematical relationships: the algebraic symbols should represent physical parameters of the interactants and the mathematical operators connecting the symbols should represent allowed physical interaction processes and the guiding force.

Citation Download Citation

Michael Ambroselli and Chandrasekhar Roychoudhuri "Visualizing superposition process and appreciating the principle of non-interaction of waves", Proc. SPIE 8121, The Nature of Light: What are Photons? IV, 81211F (28 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.893565

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