The fundamental factor of optical interference

TL;DR

This paper challenges the traditional view that electric field alone is fundamental to optical interference, proposing instead that electromagnetic energy flux density is the key factor, supported by experiments and theoretical derivations.

Contribution

It introduces the concept that optical interference is governed by electromagnetic energy flux density rather than electric-field energy density alone, revising classical understanding.

Findings

Optical standing waves do not blacken photographic emulsion as previously thought.

Electric and magnetic fields are in phase and equally contribute to interference maxima.

Energy flux density, not electric-field energy density, determines interference intensity.

Abstract

It has been widely accepted that electric field alone is the fundamental factor for optical interference, since Wiener's experiments in 1890 proved that the electric field plays such a dominant role. A group of experiments were demonstrated against Wiener's experiments under the condition that the interference fringes made by optical standing waves could have been distinguished from the fringes of equal thickness between the inner surface of emulsion and the plane mirror used to build the optical standing waves. It was found that the Bragg diffraction from the interference fringes formed by the standing waves did not exist. This means optical standing waves did not blacken the photographic emulsion, or the electric field did not play such a dominant role. Therefore, instead of the electric-field energy density solely in proportion to the electric-field square, Energy Flux in Interference was proposed to represent the intensity of optical interference-field and approved in the derivation of equations for the interference. The derived equations indicate that both the electric-field vector and the magnetic-field vector are in phase and have equal amount of energy densities at the interference maxima of two light beams. Thus, the magnetic-field vector acts the same role as the electric-field vector on light interacting with substance. The fundamental factor of optical interference is electromagnetic energy flux densities rather than electric-field alone, or the intensity of optical interference fringes should be the energy flux density, not electric-field energy density.