The Myth of the Down Converted Photon
| Scientific Paper | |
|---|---|
| Title | The Myth of the Down Converted Photon |
| Author(s) | Trevor W Marshall |
| Keywords | {{{keywords}}} |
| Published | 2008 |
| Journal | ArXiv |
Abstract
Parametric down conversion (PDC) is widely interpreted in terms of photons, but, even among supporters of this interpretation, many properties of the photon pairs have been described as ?mind-boggling? and even ?absurd?. In this article we argue that a classical description of the light field, taking account of its vacuum fluctuations, leads us to a consistent and rational description of all PDC phenomena. ?Nonlocality? in quantum optics is simply an artifact of the Photon Concept. We also predict a new phenomenon, namely the appearance of a second, or satellite PDC rainbow. (This article will appear in the Proceedings of the Second Vigier Conference held in York University, Canada in August 1997. A somewhat more formal version has been submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters, and may be found at http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/9711029.)
