The myth of the down converted photon

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Parametric down conversion (PDC) is widely interpreted in terms of photons, but, even among supporters of this interpretation, many properties of the photon pairs have been described as "mind-boggling" and even "absurd". In this article we argue that a classical description of the light field, taking account of its vacuum fluctuations, leads us to a consistent and rational account of all PDC phenomena. "Nonlocality" in quantum optics is simply an artifact of the Photon Concept. We also predict a new phenomenon, namely the appearance of a second, or satellite PDC rainbow.
See also http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/9711029 http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/9711046 http://www.keyinnov.demon.co.uk

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