Journal of Optics B Quantum and Semiclassical Optics
Spin squeezing, entanglement and correlations
Swarnamala Sirsi
Abstract
Spin- s assemblies are classified into two mutually exclusive classes: oriented and non-oriented systems. The density matrix ρ, describing oriented systems, can assume diagonal form in the angular momentum basis ( ) defined with respect to the axis of quantization, whereas the eigenstates of ρ for the non-oriented assembly cannot all be identified with states. A new scheme for constructing a mixed, non-oriented spin- s state using s (2 s +1) spinors all pointing in different directions in space and 2 s weights is discussed. Such a construction takes its inspiration from Schwinger's idea of realizing an state as being made up of ( s + m ) 'up' spinors and ( s − m ) 'down' spinors, all defined with respect to a single axis in space. Since the oriented systems are never squeezed, non-oriented spin-1 assemblies which can be prepared in the laboratory with the available NQR technology are examined for signatures of squeezing using our scheme in a frame of reference where the Heisenberg–Robertson uncertainty relation has the same form as the Schrödinger uncertainty relation. It is shown that unlike in the case of the pure spin-1 state where squeezing is synonymous with non-orientedness, a non-oriented spin-1 system need not be squeezed and the existence of entanglement is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the system to be squeezed.