Quantum mechanics without quanta: the nature of the wave–particle duality of light

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that light is a continuous classical electromagnetic wave, while the observed so-called quantum nature of the interaction of light with matter is connected to the discrete (atomic) structure of matter and to the specific nature of the light-atom interaction. From this point of view, the Born rule for light is derived, and the double-slit experiment is analysed in detail. I show that the double-slit experiment can be explained without using the concept of a "photon", solely on the basis of classical electrodynamics. I show that within this framework, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle for a "photon" has a simple physical meaning not related to the fundamental limitations in accuracy of the simultaneous measurement of position and momentum or time and energy. I argue also that we can avoid the paradoxes connected with the wave-particle duality of the electron if we consider some classical wave field -"an electron wave" -instead of electrons as the particles and consider the wave equations (Dirac, Klein-Gordon, Pauli and Schrödinger) as the field equations similar to Maxwell equations for the electromagnetic field. It is shown that such an electron field must have an electric charge, an intrinsic angular momentum and an intrinsic magnetic moment continuously distributed in the space. It is shown that from this perspective, the double-slit experiment for "electrons", the Born rule, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and the Compton effect all have a simple explanation within classical field theory. The proposed perspective allows consideration of quantum mechanics not as a theory of particles but as a classical field theory similar to Maxwell electrodynamics.

Classical-field model of the hydrogen atom

“…The results of this paper and the papers in [13][14][15][16] show that considering quantum theory to be a theory of classical fields, we will not face difficulties in the interpretation of its results, including when comparing the results of the theory with experimental data.…”

“…Considering the formal similarity of the wave properties of light and electrons as well as the conclusions of previous studies [13][14][15], it was shown [16] that for a consistent explanation of many "quantum" effects, we should abandon the idea of electrons as particles and instead consider the classical physical wave field -an electron wave having unusual (compared to an electromagnetic field) properties: continuously distributed in space are the electric charge, the internal angular momentum and, associated with it, the internal magnetic moment.…”

“…Examples are the experiments with so-called "single photons" or "single electrons" (primerely in the double-slit experiments), which have an absolutely classical, non-quantum explanation [13][14][15][16], although precisely the wave-particle ("quantum") interpretation is now common and popular. Applying the "quantum" interpretation to a non-quantum (continuous) process, we will certainly face internal contradictions for eliminating which we will be forced to turn into a probabilistic description.…”

“…In previous papers of this series [13][14][15], it was shown that there is no need to introduce physical objects such as photons for the explanation of many quantum phenomena: the discrete character of the interaction of light with a detector (matter) observed in the experiments can be explained in the framework of classical electrodynamics, when light is considered to be a continuous classical electromagnetic field.…”

“…Adhering to the point of view in [13][14][15][16], we are arriving at considering a new viewpoint on the structure of the atom and giving a classical explanation for the well-known atomic phenomena.…”