title: Studying the optical second-order interference pattern formation process with classical light in the photon counting regime.
abstract: The formation process of the second-order interference pattern is studied experimentally in the photon counting regime by superposing two independent single-mode continuous-wave lasers. Two-photon interference based on the superposition principle in Feynman's path integral theory is employed to interpret the experimental results. The second-order interference pattern of classical light can be formulated when, with high probability, there are only two photons in the interferometer at one time. The studies are helpful in understanding the second-order interference of classical light in the language of photons. The method and conclusions can be generalized to the third- and higher-order interference of light and interference of massive particles.
authors.forename: Yuchen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jianbin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Songlin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wentao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Mingnan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu