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

Non-Classical States of the Electromagnetic Field

L. Mandeļ

Published Jan 1, 1986• 282 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A number of general features of non-classical states of light are reviewed. The phenomena of photon antibunching and sub-Poissonian photon statistics are then treated in more detail, including the experimental observations. Quantum effects in spontaneous parametric down-conversion are discussed, and recent experiments dealing with the time intervals between down-converted photons, with the intensity dependence of the cross-correlation function, and with the detection of a localized one-photon state are described. Finally, some quantum effects in the interference of light are discussed.

DOI
10.1088/0031-8949/1986/t12/005

Related papers

Sub-Poissonian Photon Statistics and Squeezed Quantum States

L. Mandeļ

The statistical fluctuations of light can, under certain circumstances, exhibit a number of interesting nonclassical features. These include photon antibunching, sub-Poissonian statistics, and squeezing, all of which exist only in a quantum field. The three effects are distinct, and do not necessarily go together, although the first two are sometimes mistakenly treated as interchangeable. Both photon antibunching and sub-Poissonian statistics have been observed in experiments on resonance fluorescence from single atoms, which is described. Squeezing has not yet been seen experimentally, although many nonlinear processes are expected to give rise to it. The squeezed state can be recognized in heterodyne or homodyne experiments, where the squeezing becomes manifest as sub-Poissonian photon fluctuations.

•Jun 18, 1984•1 citation

New phenomena in quantum optics: photon antibunching, sub-Poisson photon statistics, and squeezed states

D F Smirnov, A. S. Troshin

The concepts listed in the title are introduced and clarified. The relations among them are pointed out. It is shown that the corresponding optical phenomena are definitely of a quantum nature. The basic quantities which are measured in correlation optical experiments are discussed. Manifestations of photon antibunching and of sub-Poisson photon statistics in the recording of delayed coincidences, in the distribution of photon counts, and in intensity fluctuation spectra are analyzed. (More precisely, what is involved is the spectrum of fluctuations in the photocurrent; all the results of the theoretical analysis in this review are expressed in terms of directly measurable quantities.) A diagram technique for calculating the correlation characteristics of the radiation from a polyatomic system is outlined. Photon correlations in nonlinear resonance fluorescence are analyzed. There is a discussion of approaches to the development of macroscopic sources of radiation with sub-Poisson photon statistics: the production of a squeezed state of a field in phase-sensitive parametric effects in nonlinear optics and the introduction of repulsive statistics in luminescence excitation events and in the pumping of a laser. Experiments in these directions which had been reported through April 1986 are discussed. The practical importance of reducing the quantum noise in radiation for extremely precise measurements and for optical data transmission is pointed out.

Soviet Physics Uspekhi•Oct 31, 1987•55 citations

The spatial behavior of nonclassical light

Mikhail I. Kolobov

Nonclassical effects such as squeezing, antibunching, and sub-Poissonian statistics of photons have been attracting attention in quantum optics over the last decade. Up to now most theoretical and experimental investigations have been carried out exclusively in the time domain while neglecting the spatial aspects by considering only one spatial mode of the electromagnetic field. In many situations such an approximation is well justified. There are, however, problems that do not allow in principle a single-mode consideration. This is the case when one wants to investigate the quantum fluctuations of light at different spatial points in the plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the light beam. Such an investigation requires a complete description of quantum fluctuations of light in both time and space and cannot be done within a single-mode theory. This space-time description brings about a natural generalization into the spatial domain of such notions as the standard quantum limit, squeezing, antibunching, etc. It predicts, for example, the possibility of generating a light beam with sub-Poissonian statistics of photons not only in time but also in the beam's transverse plane. Of particular relevance to the applications is a situation in which the cross section of the light beam contains several nonoverlapping areas with sub-Poissonian statistics of photons in each. Photodetection of such a beam produces several sub-shot-noise photocurrents depending on the number of independent areas with sub-Poissonian statistics. This is in marked contrast to the case of a single-mode sub-Poissonian light beam in which any attempt to collect light from only a part of the beam deteriorates the degree of shot-noise reduction. This property of multimode squeezed light opens a range of interesting new applications in optical imaging, optical parallel processing of information, parallel computing, and many other areas in which it is desirable to have a light beam with regular photon statistics across its transverse area. The aim of this review is to describe the recent development in this branch of quantum optics.

Reviews of Modern Physics•Oct 1, 1999•359 citations

Quantum theory of fourth-order interference

Z. Y. Ou

The quantum theory of fourth-order interference of light is presented in a general format and compared with classical wave theory. The conditions under which nonclassical phenomena occur are discussed. In particular, the interference between the quantum field and classical field may give rise to a nonclassical effect. For some special states of light, the interference pattern does not disappear even though one field is much stronger than the other, for which no classical analog exists. Fourth-order effects in the interference between two independent fields are analyzed in detail. It is pointed out that the fourth-order interference between independent fields will not disappear when the integration time of detection is of the order of the reciprocal bandwidth of the two light fields as long as the spectra of the two fields are symmetric around the same center frequency, and for some correlated fields, the interference does not vanish even if the detection time is much larger than the reciprocal bandwidth of the fields. A new type of fourth-order interference experiment involving a beam splitter is proposed in which local realism of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen form is violated for quantum mechanics. This general argument is then applied to the interference between two photons generated in the parametric down-conversion process. The possibility of violations of Bell's inequalities in interference experiments is investigated.

Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1988•81 citations

Statistical and Quantum Optics

S. Chopra

Statistical and quantum optics provides a clear, up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to the recent field of modern optics dealing with coherence and fluctuations of light. The first two chapters discuss the statistical frame work needed for later part of the book followed by systematic account of coherence theory with a detailed discussed on photon statistics. Description of quantum theory of coherence is preceded by a introductory chapter on field quantization. A detailed description of non-classical light highlighted by phenomena of anti-bunching, Sub-Poissonian statistics, production and detection of squeezed light and coherent state follows. Next is the discussion on E-P-R paradox on reality, locality and completeness of quantum mechanics bringing out clearly the importance of Bell's inequalities. The concluding two chapters put forward forcefully the new fundamental concepts based on quantum superposition and entanglement leading to two photon interference, quantum cryptography and teleportation.

•Jan 30, 2014•0 citations

Quantum imaging with sub-Poissonian light: challenges and perspectives in optical metrology

Ivano Ruo Berchera, I P Degiovanni

Non-classical correlations in optical beams offer an unprecedented opportunity for surpassing the conventional limits of sensitivity and resolution in optical measurements and imaging, especially, but not only, when low photon flux, down to the single photon, is measured. We review the principles of quantum imaging and sensing techniques that exploit sub-Poissonian photon statistics and non-classical photon number correlation, presenting some state-of-the-art achievements in the field. These quantum photonics protocols have the potential to trigger major steps in many applications, such as microscopy and biophotonics, and represent an important opportunity for a new deal in radiometry and photometry.

arXiv:1904.01251•Metrologia•Dec 11, 2018•126 citations
A number of general features of non-classical states of light are reviewed. The phenomena of photon antibunching and sub-Poissonian photon statistics are then treated in more detail, including the experimental observations. Quantum effects in spontaneous parametric down-conversion are discussed, and recent experiments dealing with the time intervals between down-converted photons, with the intensity dependence of the cross-correlation function, and with the detection of a localized one-photon state are described. Finally, some quantum effects in the interference of light are discussed.
The statistical fluctuations of light can, under certain circumstances, exhibit a number of interesting nonclassical features. These include photon antibunching, sub-Poissonian statistics, and squeezing, all of which exist only in a quantum field. The three effects are distinct, and do not necessarily go together, although the first two are sometimes mistakenly treated as interchangeable. Both photon antibunching and sub-Poissonian statistics have been observed in experiments on resonance fluorescence from single atoms, which is described. Squeezing has not yet been seen experimentally, although many nonlinear processes are expected to give rise to it. The squeezed state can be recognized in heterodyne or homodyne experiments, where the squeezing becomes manifest as sub-Poissonian photon fluctuations.
The concepts listed in the title are introduced and clarified. The relations among them are pointed out. It is shown that the corresponding optical phenomena are definitely of a quantum nature. The basic quantities which are measured in correlation optical experiments are discussed. Manifestations of photon antibunching and of sub-Poisson photon statistics in the recording of delayed coincidences, in the distribution of photon counts, and in intensity fluctuation spectra are analyzed. (More precisely, what is involved is the spectrum of fluctuations in the photocurrent; all the results of the theoretical analysis in this review are expressed in terms of directly measurable quantities.) A diagram technique for calculating the correlation characteristics of the radiation from a polyatomic system is outlined. Photon correlations in nonlinear resonance fluorescence are analyzed. There is a discussion of approaches to the development of macroscopic sources of radiation with sub-Poisson photon statistics: the production of a squeezed state of a field in phase-sensitive parametric effects in nonlinear optics and the introduction of repulsive statistics in luminescence excitation events and in the pumping of a laser. Experiments in these directions which had been reported through April 1986 are discussed. The practical importance of reducing the quantum noise in radiation for extremely precise measurements and for optical data transmission is pointed out.
Nonclassical effects such as squeezing, antibunching, and sub-Poissonian statistics of photons have been attracting attention in quantum optics over the last decade. Up to now most theoretical and experimental investigations have been carried out exclusively in the time domain while neglecting the spatial aspects by considering only one spatial mode of the electromagnetic field. In many situations such an approximation is well justified. There are, however, problems that do not allow in principle a single-mode consideration. This is the case when one wants to investigate the quantum fluctuations of light at different spatial points in the plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the light beam. Such an investigation requires a complete description of quantum fluctuations of light in both time and space and cannot be done within a single-mode theory. This space-time description brings about a natural generalization into the spatial domain of such notions as the standard quantum limit, squeezing, antibunching, etc. It predicts, for example, the possibility of generating a light beam with sub-Poissonian statistics of photons not only in time but also in the beam's transverse plane. Of particular relevance to the applications is a situation in which the cross section of the light beam contains several nonoverlapping areas with sub-Poissonian statistics of photons in each. Photodetection of such a beam produces several sub-shot-noise photocurrents depending on the number of independent areas with sub-Poissonian statistics. This is in marked contrast to the case of a single-mode sub-Poissonian light beam in which any attempt to collect light from only a part of the beam deteriorates the degree of shot-noise reduction. This property of multimode squeezed light opens a range of interesting new applications in optical imaging, optical parallel processing of information, parallel computing, and many other areas in which it is desirable to have a light beam with regular photon statistics across its transverse area. The aim of this review is to describe the recent development in this branch of quantum optics.
The quantum theory of fourth-order interference of light is presented in a general format and compared with classical wave theory. The conditions under which nonclassical phenomena occur are discussed. In particular, the interference between the quantum field and classical field may give rise to a nonclassical effect. For some special states of light, the interference pattern does not disappear even though one field is much stronger than the other, for which no classical analog exists. Fourth-order effects in the interference between two independent fields are analyzed in detail. It is pointed out that the fourth-order interference between independent fields will not disappear when the integration time of detection is of the order of the reciprocal bandwidth of the two light fields as long as the spectra of the two fields are symmetric around the same center frequency, and for some correlated fields, the interference does not vanish even if the detection time is much larger than the reciprocal bandwidth of the fields. A new type of fourth-order interference experiment involving a beam splitter is proposed in which local realism of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen form is violated for quantum mechanics. This general argument is then applied to the interference between two photons generated in the parametric down-conversion process. The possibility of violations of Bell's inequalities in interference experiments is investigated.
Statistical and quantum optics provides a clear, up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to the recent field of modern optics dealing with coherence and fluctuations of light. The first two chapters discuss the statistical frame work needed for later part of the book followed by systematic account of coherence theory with a detailed discussed on photon statistics. Description of quantum theory of coherence is preceded by a introductory chapter on field quantization. A detailed description of non-classical light highlighted by phenomena of anti-bunching, Sub-Poissonian statistics, production and detection of squeezed light and coherent state follows. Next is the discussion on E-P-R paradox on reality, locality and completeness of quantum mechanics bringing out clearly the importance of Bell's inequalities. The concluding two chapters put forward forcefully the new fundamental concepts based on quantum superposition and entanglement leading to two photon interference, quantum cryptography and teleportation.
Non-classical correlations in optical beams offer an unprecedented opportunity for surpassing the conventional limits of sensitivity and resolution in optical measurements and imaging, especially, but not only, when low photon flux, down to the single photon, is measured. We review the principles of quantum imaging and sensing techniques that exploit sub-Poissonian photon statistics and non-classical photon number correlation, presenting some state-of-the-art achievements in the field. These quantum photonics protocols have the potential to trigger major steps in many applications, such as microscopy and biophotonics, and represent an important opportunity for a new deal in radiometry and photometry.