Quantum Fluctuations of Light: A Modern Perspective on Wave/Particle Duality

Peter W. Milonni

Bruce R. Wheaton

H. J. Carmichael

We review studies of the fluctuations of light made accessible by the invention of the laser and the strong interactions realized in cavity QED experiments. Photon antibunching advocating the discrete (particles), is contrasted with amplitude squeezing which speaks of the continuous (waves). The tension between particles and waves is demonstrated by a recent experiment which combines the measurement strategies used to observe these nonclassical behaviors of light [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3149 (2000)].

Brigitte Falkenburg

Ismo T. Koponen

Abstract Scientific terms and concepts sometimes evolve so that their semantic meanings are changing, to better serve the purposes of their use in scientific practices. Acknowledging the importance of such a process provides a viewpoint on the role of wave-particle duality (WPD) in modern quantum optics and how it is connected to its historical role. The transformation of WPD into a quantitative and operationalised concept is approached here from the viewpoint of the role of WPD as a linguistic practice based on natural language in communicating about experiments and their results and designs. The perspective adopted is based on semantic change and variation of WPD as driven by its role as natural language expression in pursuing the epistemic and the pragmatic goals of the inquiry. This provides a perspective that connects the historical and contemporary roles of WPD through its pragmatic linguistic role. This perspective shifts the focus from philosophical realism-driven questions about WPD as related to the nature or behaviour of photons to questions of how that concept is used in practices of quantum optics research, for what purposes, and with what benefits.

Qiuhua Sun, Jiang Haili, Zhihai Liu +1 more

The need of understanding and teaching about wave-particle duality if light with gets more and more apparent in the background of the attention of modern physics. As early as the beginning of twentieth Century, Einstein dared to "deny" the development of a very perfect light electromagnetic theory, so that the quantum of light can be developed. In 1924, De Broglie put forward wave-particle duality if light to other micro particles and the concept of matter wave, pointed out that all micro particle has wave-particle duality. This is a very abstract concept for students, most college physics teaching all lack of demonstration about particle duality of light. The present article aims to contribute to demonstrate the wave-particle duality of light at the same time using a simple way based on fiber optical tweezers. It is hoped that useful lesson can be absorbed so that students can deepen the understanding of the particle and wave properties of light. To complement the demonstration experiment for this attribute light has momentum.