Classical Simulation of Double Slit Interference

Austrian Institute for Nonlinear Studies

Based on a proposed classical explanation of interference effects, we claim that for every single "particle" a thermal context can be defined, which reflects its embedding within boundary conditions as given by the totality of arrangements in an experimental apparatus. The intensity distribution of two colliding Gaussian wave packets is computed, as well as the corresponding trajectories.
For the case of the double slit, the emerging trajectories are shown to obey a "no crossing" rule with respect to the central line, i.e., between the two slits and orthogonal to their connecting line. For other cases of the interference between two Gaussian wave packets, more complicated behaviors emerge. We utilize familiar simulation techniques for diffusion, i.e., coupled map lattices, where the diffusivity is time dependent.