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Physical Review A

Quantum dynamics of the parametric oscillator

Paul Kinsler, P. D. Drummond

Published Jun 1, 1991• 142 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present dynamical calculations for the quantum parametric oscillator using both number-state and coherent-state bases. The coherent-state methods use the positive-P representation, which has a nonclassical phase space---an essential requirement in obtaining an exact stochastic representation of this nonlinear problem. This also provides a way to directly simulate quantum tunneling between the two above-threshold stable states of the oscillator. The coherent-state methods provide both analytic results at large photon numbers, and numerical results for any photon number, while our number-state calculations are restricted to numerical results in the low-photon-number regime. The number-state and coherent-state methods give precise agreement within the accuracy of the numerical calculations. We also compare our results with methods based on a truncated Wigner representation equivalent to stochastic electrodynamics, and find that these are unable to correctly predict the tunneling rate given by the other methods. An interesting feature of the results is the much faster tunneling predicted by the exact quantum-theory methods compared with earlier semiclassical calculations using an approximate potential barrier. This is similar to the faster tunneling found when comparing quantum penetration of a barrier to classical thermal activation. The quantum parametric oscillator, which has an exact steady-state solution, therefore provides a useful and accessible system in which nonlinear quantum effects can be studied far from thermal equilibrium.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.43.6194

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We present dynamical calculations for the quantum parametric oscillator using both number-state and coherent-state bases. The coherent-state methods use the positive-P representation, which has a nonclassical phase space---an essential requirement in obtaining an exact stochastic representation of this nonlinear problem. This also provides a way to directly simulate quantum tunneling between the two above-threshold stable states of the oscillator. The coherent-state methods provide both analytic results at large photon numbers, and numerical results for any photon number, while our number-state calculations are restricted to numerical results in the low-photon-number regime. The number-state and coherent-state methods give precise agreement within the accuracy of the numerical calculations. We also compare our results with methods based on a truncated Wigner representation equivalent to stochastic electrodynamics, and find that these are unable to correctly predict the tunneling rate given by the other methods. An interesting feature of the results is the much faster tunneling predicted by the exact quantum-theory methods compared with earlier semiclassical calculations using an approximate potential barrier. This is similar to the faster tunneling found when comparing quantum penetration of a barrier to classical thermal activation. The quantum parametric oscillator, which has an exact steady-state solution, therefore provides a useful and accessible system in which nonlinear quantum effects can be studied far from thermal equilibrium.
The mean time taken for the degenerate parametric oscillator to quantum tunnel between its two above-threshold stable states is calculated in the large photon-number limit. The result is compared with an earlier approximate result using a truncated Fokker-Planck equation in the Wigner representation. This earlier theory is equivalent to stochastic electrodynamics. Our quantum theory results indicate orders of magnitude faster tunneling far above threshold, when compared to the truncated Wigner theory.
We develop a systematic theory of critical quantum fluctuations in the driven parametric oscillator. Our analytic results agree well with stochastic numerical simulations. We also compare the results obtained in the positive-P representation, as a fully quantum-mechanical calculation, with the truncated Wigner phase-space equation, also known as the semiclassical theory. We show when these results agree and differ in calculations taken beyond the linearized approximation. We find that the optimal broadband noise reduction occurs just above threshold. In this region where there are large quantum fluctuations in the conjugate variance and macroscopic quantum superposition states might be expected, we find that the quantum predictions correspond very closely to the semiclassical theory.
We present a fully quantum mechanical treatment of the nondegenerate optical parametric oscillator both below and near threshold. This is a nonequilibrium quantum system with a critical point phase transition, that is also known to exhibit strong yet easily observed squeezing and quantum entanglement. Our treatment makes use of the positive PPP representation and goes beyond the usual linearized theory. We compare our analytical results with numerical simulations and find excellent agreement. We also carry out a detailed comparison of our results with those obtained from stochastic electrodynamics, a theory obtained by truncating the equation of motion for the Wigner function, with a view to locating regions of agreement and disagreement between the two. We calculate commonly used measures of quantum behavior including entanglement, squeezing, and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) correlations as well as higher order tripartite correlations, and show how these are modified as the critical point is approached. These results are compared with those obtained using two degenerate parametric oscillators, and we find that in the near-critical region the nondegenerate oscillator has stronger EPR correlations. In general, the critical fluctuations represent an ultimate limit to the possible entanglement that can be achieved in a nondegenerate parametric oscillator.
The optical parametric oscillator is one of the most well-characterized devices in nonlinear optics, with many useful applications, especially as a frequency converter and as a wide-band amplifier. Novel discoveries made with these devices in the quantum domain include demonstrations of large amounts of both single-mode and two-mode squeezing, and, in the two-mode case, significant quantum intensity correlations between the two modes and quadrature correlations, which provided the first experimental demonstration of the original Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen (EPR) paradox. In this chapter, a systematic theory is developed of quantum fluctuations in the degenerate parametric oscillator. The quantum statistical effects produced by the degenerate parametric amplifier and oscillator have been intensely studied. As we have seen, the amount of transient squeezing produced in an ideal lossless parametric amplifier was calculated using asymptotic methods by Crouch and Braunstein. It was found to scale inversely with the square root of the initial pump photon number. When the system is put into a cavity, and driving and dissipation are introduced, we find that the steady state of a driven degenerate parametric oscillator bifurcates. There is a single steady state at low driving strengths, but, as the driving field increases, a threshold value is reached and the single state splits and forms two stable states. Below the threshold, a linearized analysis of squeezing in the quantum quadratures is possible; while above this threshold, or critical point, the tunneling time between the two states due to quantum fluctuations can be calculated.
We present an exact quantum treatment of the generalized model of a degenerate parametric oscillator, in which we allow for self-phase modulation of the signal mode. Using the steady-state solution of the Fokker-Planck equation in the complex P-representation we obtain an exact analytical result for the Wigner quasiprobability distribution function. The obtained Wigner function allows us to give an explicit phase-space description of the nonlinear system under consideration, including the critical transition behavior in the monostable and bistable (with respect to the signal mode intensity versus the pump field intensity) operation regimes and in the threshold region. The competitive effects influenced by the self-phase modulation and the phase-space tristability are analyzed. Nonclassical effects of quadrature squeezing and quantum superposition are discussed as well.
The positive Prepresentation has proved a useful tool for analyzing optical systems which exhibit squeezing. The Glauber-Sudarshan phase-space representation gives a Fokker-Planck equation without positive semidefinite diffusion for systems which generate nonclassical fields. The positive Prepresentation provides a method for guaranteeing positive semidefinite diffusion and enables a quantum- dynamical model to be formulated in terms of classical stochastic differential equations. In previous work we had some success in applying this approach to describe the decay of the unstable state above threshold in a degenerate parametric oscillator.1 Below threshold a linearized analysis of fluctuations recovers the predictions of squeezing obtained by alternative methods.