Multi-order interference is generally nonzero

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that third-order interference in three-slit experiments with light is generally nonzero, challenging the assumption that such interference should be zero, based on solutions of Maxwell's equations.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical and computational analysis showing that third-order interference is inherently nonzero in realistic three-slit optical systems.

Findings

Third-order interference is generally nonzero in realistic models.

The zero third-order interference hypothesis is flawed.

Explicit solutions of Maxwell's equations support the nonzero interference.

Abstract

It is demonstrated that the third-order interference, as obtained from explicit solutions of Maxwell's equations for realistic models of three-slit devices, including an idealized version of the three-slit device used in a recent three-slit experiment with light (U. Sinha et al., Science 329, 418 (2010)), is generally nonzero. The hypothesis that the third-order interference should be zero is shown to be fatally flawed because it requires dropping the one-to-one correspondence between the symbols in the mathematical theory and the different experimental configurations.