The Electron as an Equilibrium‑Coupling Mode: A Physics‑Only Structural Interpretation Consistent With QED, Scattering Data, and Atomic Chemistry

This paper develops a physics-only reinterpretation of the electron as a stable equilibrium-coupling mode of the electromagnetic field rather than a constituent particle. Unlike protons and neutrons, which possess internal composite structure, the electron emerges as the minimal-energy configuration required to restore polarity, boundary, and geometric constraints in the presence of a protonic charge defect. This interpretation is compatible with quantum electrodynamics (QED) [1], high-energy scattering data [2], atomic spectra [3], and chemical bonding [4]. A mathematical formulation is provided using classical field theory and operator-level structure from QED. Predictions and falsifiability criteria are included.