Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physica Scripta

Conceptions of quantum optical phase

Stephen Mark Barnett, Bryan J. Dalton

Published Jan 1, 1993• 34 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Much confusion has resulted from the failure to recognise the different concepts embodied in the single word "phase" as applied to a quantized electromagnetic field mode. In this paper we describe three conceptions of phase and the connections between them.
DOI
10.1088/0031-8949/1993/t48/002

Related papers

Phase in quantum optics

Stephen Mark Barnett

The Hermitian optical phase operator realises Dirac's conception of a phase, conjugate to the photon number for a mode of the electromagnetic field. However, much confusion has resulted from the failure to recognise that the single word "phase" is used to describe distinct concepts in the description of a quantised electromagnetic field mode. We compare and contrast these distinct phase concepts.

16th Congress of the International Commission for Optics: Optics as a Key to High Technology•Jul 26, 1993•1 citation

Realistic measurement of phase

Henryk Paul

One of the most delicate problems in quantum optics is the proper description of the phase of a single-mode radiation field. One has first to devise an experimental scheme for phase measurement, thus giving an operational definition of phase, and afterwards search for the proper quantum-mechanical description of the experimental procedure. Several such schemes which differ distinctly in their experimental setup have already been proposed and even partly realized. In this paper, I will describe them in some detail and present the outlines of their theoretical analysis.>

Nonlinear Optics•Dec 17, 2002•0 citations

Reply to ‘‘Comment on ‘Phase properties of the quantized single-mode electromagnetic field’’

David Thomas Pegg, Stephen Mark Barnett

We assess the objections raised by Ma and Rhodes [preceding Comment, Phys. Rev. A 43, 2576 (1991)]. These objections seem to arise from a misinterpretation of our theory and a confusion between states of precise phase and states of precise field.

Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1991•12 citations

Phase in optics

Vlasta Peřinová, A. Lukš, Jan Peřina

Phase in classical and nonlinear optics phase-space description of light field phase in quantum optics phase-dependent measurements.

•Jan 1, 1998•56 citations

Observables, measurements and phase operators from a Bohmian perspective

Martin Däumer, Sheldon Goldstein

Bohmian mechanics is a deterministic theory of point particles in motion. While avoiding all the paradoxes of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, it yields the quantum formalism itself---especially the role of self-adjoint operators---as a macroscopic measurement formalism. As an "application" it is shown that much of the confusion connected with the phase operator for the electromagnetic field arises from a misunderstanding of the role of operators in quantum theory. 1 Introduction We would like to apologize for the bad title: we will try to explain why the casual use of the words "observables" and "measurements," which are on John Bell's list of bad words in his article "Against Measurement"[1], "measurement" being the worst of all, leads to much unnecessary confusion concerning the meaning of the quantum formalism. But first we introduce an even worse word: following Bell we will use the abbreviation "FAPP" for "for all practical purposes." Quantum mechanics suffers from its irreduc...

•Jan 1, 1993•0 citations

The quantum theory of light

Pieter Kok, Brendon W. Lovett

Classically, light is an electromagnetic phenomenon, described by Maxwell's equations. However, under certain conditions, such as low intensity or in the presence of certain nonlinear optical materials, light starts to behave differently, and we have to construct a ‘quantum theory of light’. We can exploit this quantum behaviour of light for quantum information processing, which is the subject of this book. In this chapter, we develop the quantum theory of the free electromagnetic quantum field. This means that we do not yet consider the interaction between light and matter; we postpone that to Chapter 7. We start from first principles, using the canonical quantization procedure in the Coulomb gauge: we derive the field equations of motion from the classical Lagrangian density for the vector potential, and promote the field and its canonical momentum to operators and impose the canonical commutation relations. This will lead to the well-known creation and annihilation operators, and ultimately to the concept of the photon. After quantization of the free electromagnetic field we consider transformations of the mode functions of the field. We will demonstrate the intimate relation between these linear mode transformations and the effect of beam splitters, phase shifters, and polarization rotations, and show how they naturally give rise to the concept of squeezing. Finally, we introduce coherent and squeezed states.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Apr 22, 2010•0 citations
One of the most delicate problems in quantum optics is the proper description of the phase of a single-mode radiation field. One has first to devise an experimental scheme for phase measurement, thus giving an operational definition of phase, and afterwards search for the proper quantum-mechanical description of the experimental procedure. Several such schemes which differ distinctly in their experimental setup have already been proposed and even partly realized. In this paper, I will describe them in some detail and present the outlines of their theoretical analysis.>
Bohmian mechanics is a deterministic theory of point particles in motion. While avoiding all the paradoxes of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, it yields the quantum formalism itself---especially the role of self-adjoint operators---as a macroscopic measurement formalism. As an "application" it is shown that much of the confusion connected with the phase operator for the electromagnetic field arises from a misunderstanding of the role of operators in quantum theory. 1 Introduction We would like to apologize for the bad title: we will try to explain why the casual use of the words "observables" and "measurements," which are on John Bell's list of bad words in his article "Against Measurement"[1], "measurement" being the worst of all, leads to much unnecessary confusion concerning the meaning of the quantum formalism. But first we introduce an even worse word: following Bell we will use the abbreviation "FAPP" for "for all practical purposes." Quantum mechanics suffers from its irreduc...
Classically, light is an electromagnetic phenomenon, described by Maxwell's equations. However, under certain conditions, such as low intensity or in the presence of certain nonlinear optical materials, light starts to behave differently, and we have to construct a ‘quantum theory of light’. We can exploit this quantum behaviour of light for quantum information processing, which is the subject of this book. In this chapter, we develop the quantum theory of the free electromagnetic quantum field. This means that we do not yet consider the interaction between light and matter; we postpone that to Chapter 7. We start from first principles, using the canonical quantization procedure in the Coulomb gauge: we derive the field equations of motion from the classical Lagrangian density for the vector potential, and promote the field and its canonical momentum to operators and impose the canonical commutation relations. This will lead to the well-known creation and annihilation operators, and ultimately to the concept of the photon. After quantization of the free electromagnetic field we consider transformations of the mode functions of the field. We will demonstrate the intimate relation between these linear mode transformations and the effect of beam splitters, phase shifters, and polarization rotations, and show how they naturally give rise to the concept of squeezing. Finally, we introduce coherent and squeezed states.