The GRA beam-splitter experiments and wave-particle duality of light

Full text: Grangier, Roger and Aspect (GRA) performed a beam-splitter experiment to demonstrate particle behaviour of light and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer experiment to demonstrate wave behaviour of light. The distinguishing feature of these experiments is the use of a gating system to produce near ideal single photon states. With the demonstration of both wave and particle behaviour (in the two mutually exclusive experiments) they claim to have demonstrated the dual wave-particle behaviour of light. The demonstration of the wave behaviour of light is not in dispute. But, we want to demonstrate, contrary to the claims of GRA, that their beam-splitter experiment does not conclusively confirm the particle behaviour of light, and hence does not demonstrate particle-wave duality. Our demonstration consists of providing a detailed model, not involving particles, of GRA's 'which-path' experiment. The model uses the causal interpretation of quantum fields. We will also give a brief outline a model for the second 'interference' GRA experiment. (author)