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Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Physics pp 271–302Cite as

Wave Particle Duality of Light and Complementarity

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Abstract

The entire issue of wave particle duality hinges on how we use the conceptual ideas of wave and particle. If we remain confined within the formalism of quantum theory without demanding a visualizable understanding, the problem of wave particle duality ceases to be relevant. In particular if we consider optical experiments, the rules of quantum optics are well-defined and sufficient to predict correctly all observable results. Electric and magnetic field operators are the basic dynamical variables in this formalism. The photon notion enters the theory only as a secondary entity, defined as excitations associated with normal modes in terms of which any electromagnetic field can be expanded. From this point of view, the particle aspect of radiation takes on a concrete meaning only when a detection process is considered; the quantized decrease in field energy resulting from a detection process can be described in terms of removing photons from the field.

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  1. Bose Institute, Calcutta, India

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Home, D. (1997). Wave Particle Duality of Light and Complementarity. In: Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Physics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9808-1_5

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