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arXiv:2308.06706 · Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Wigner’s phase space current for variable beam splitters—seeing beam splitters in a new light

Ole Steuernagel, Ray‐Kuang Lee

Published Nov 26, 2024• 2 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Beam splitters allow us to superpose two continuous single-mode quantum systems. To study the behavior of their strong mode mixing dynamics, we consider variable beam splitters and their dynamics using Wigner’s phase space distribution, W , the evolution of which is governed by the continuity equation ∂∂ τ W =− ∇ ⋅ J . We derive the form of the corresponding Wigner current, J , of each outgoing mode after tracing out the other. The influence of the modes on each other is analyzed and visualized using their respective Wigner distributions and Wigner currents. This allows us to perform geometrical analyses of the mode interactions, casting new light on beam splitter behavior. Several of the presented results should be immediately testable in experiments.

DOI
10.1364/josab.545875

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Beam splitters allow us to superpose two continuous single-mode quantum systems. To study the behavior of their strong mode mixing dynamics, we consider variable beam splitters and their dynamics using Wigner’s phase space distribution, W , the evolution of which is governed by the continuity equation ∂∂ τ W =− ∇ ⋅ J . We derive the form of the corresponding Wigner current, J , of each outgoing mode after tracing out the other. The influence of the modes on each other is analyzed and visualized using their respective Wigner distributions and Wigner currents. This allows us to perform geometrical analyses of the mode interactions, casting new light on beam splitter behavior. Several of the presented results should be immediately testable in experiments.
Beam splitters allow us to superpose two continuous single mode quantum systems. To study the behaviour of beam splitters' strongly mode mixing dynamics we consider variable beam splitters acting on Wigner's phase space distribution, W , the evolution of which is governed by the continuity-equation {\partial τ} W = - {\nabla} J. We derive the form of the corresponding Wigner current, J. J's form allows us to use a classical trajectories-approach to analyze the influence of the two modes on each other. We show that the dynamics for variable beam splitters amounts to a rotation confined within the plane of the two positions together with the same simultaneous rotation confined within the plane of the two momenta. In this way explicit and very transparent expressions for the rotated Wigner distributions and Wigner currents can be given in terms of classical trajectories. This helps us to gain deeper insights and perform geometrical analyses of the mixing of modes at beam splitters.
Phase space is the unity of position and momentum configuration space. It allows for an effective description of dynamical systems and is particularly useful when it comes to studying chaos theory and statistical mechanics. After the advent of quantum physics early in the 20th century, E. Wigner [91], J. E. Moyal [62] and H. J. Groenewold [31] introduce a quantum theory in phase space. Despite the apparent added complexity of the mathematics involved in this new framework, the underlying classical and quantum equations show many similarities. The probability distribution in classical physics becomes the Wigner distribution, a probability distribution usually featuring negative values. In 2013, O. Steuernagel and D. Kakofengitis, inspired by the work of H. Bauke [7] and E. Wigner [91], identified the quantum analogue of the classical phase space flow: the Wigner current J [83]. This Wigner current allows the visualisation of quantum dynamics through a quantum fluid dynamics perspective in phase space. This thesis is written by collection of five articles. They are prefaced by an introduction into the basics of quantum phase space theory and its link with both classical phase space dynamics and the standard Schrödinger approach, followed by the articles published during this PhD. Article 1 shows the importance of the integral form of the Wigner current. We use it to derive the Ehrenfest’s theorem, as well as to refute some propositions made within the community. Article 2 shows that, using the Wigner current, an Eulerian and Lagrangian point of view do not always give the same results for the quantum case. We demonstrate that the negativities of the Wigner distribution, sign of quantumness of the system, are created by the Wigner velocity field singularities. The Wigner velocity field is the quantum analogue of the classical phase space velocity field. In Article 3, we see that even though Wigner distributions of quantum systems feature spotty structures which saturate on scales ɑZ [97], the construction of a superoscillating Wigner distribution allows one to generate much smaller structures, of the order of ɑZ /α with α a positive constant potentially very large. In Article 4, we introduce the concept of quantum shear suppression in phase space. The Wigner current features an effective quantum “viscosity”, suppressing classical dynamics fine details. This viscosity is the mechanism by which the Zurek scale is enforced dynamically onto the state in phase space. In Article 5, we apply the previous ideas to Kerr-type oscillators. Its Wigner current is derived, and using it we show that its values are conserved on a ring during the time evolution of the Kerr oscillator. The shear suppression is also studied.
Abstract A beam splitter operator is a very important linear device in the field of quantum optics and quantum information. It can not only be used to prepare complete representations of quantum mechanics, entangled state representation, but it can also be used to simulate the dissipative environment of quantum systems. In this paper, by combining the transform relation of the beam splitter operator and the technique of integration within the product of the operator, we present the coherent state representation of the operator and the corresponding normal ordering form. Based on this, we consider the applications of the coherent state representation of the beam splitter operator, such as deriving some operator identities and entangled state representation preparation with continuous-discrete variables. Furthermore, we extend our investigation to two single and two-mode cascaded beam splitter operators, giving the corresponding coherent state representation and its normal ordering form. In addition, the application of a beam splitter to prepare entangled states in quantum teleportation is further investigated, and the fidelity is discussed. The above results provide good theoretical value in the fields of quantum optics and quantum information.
We extend the Wigner current vector field (Wigner current) construct to single bosonic mode quantum systems interacting with an environment. In terms of the Wigner function quasiprobability density and associated Wigner current, the open system quantum dynamics can be concisely expressed as a continuity equation. Through the consideration of the harmonic oscillator and additively driven Duffing oscillator in the bistable regime as illustrative system examples, we show how the evolving Wigner current vector field on the system phase space yields useful geometric insights concerning how quantum states decohere away due to interactions with the environment, as well as how they may be stabilized through the counteracting effects of the system anharmonicity (i.e., nonlinearity).