Version 5: Reinterpreting the Double-Slit Experiment and Airy Disk: A Particle Fragmentation and Sorting Model for Optical Interference and Beam Spreading

Abstract

Abstract: The double-slit experiment and the Airy disk pattern are historically considered definitive proofs of the wave nature of light. This paper presents a unified, particle-only reinterpretation of both phenomena within the established framework of photon fragmentation (Majeed.A, 2026a; 2026d). It proposes that the double-slit pattern is not a result of wave interference but of physical sorting—where photons and their fragmented "vapor" clouds are sorted by energy, spin, and trajectory history after passing through the slits. The Airy disk, similarly, is explained not as diffraction-limited wave spreading but as the spatial distribution of intact photons (central core) and progressively ejected fragments (outer rings) governed by Spin-Centrifugal Force and Quantum Entropic Drag. This model provides a fully deterministic, causal explanation for the "which-way" paradox, eliminating the need for wave-function collapse or observer-dependent reality. The framework is grounded in the concepts of Spatial Viscosity, Luminiferous Erosion, and the Photon Decay Coefficient (α) , offering testable predictions that distinguishes it from the standard wave-based interpretation. This Version DOI:10.5281/zenodo.22049738