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

Physical Review

Measurements of Photon Correlations in Partially Coherent Light

D. B. Scarl

Published Nov 1, 1968• 79 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Measurements have been made of the distribution in time of arrival of photons produced in a low-pressure ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{198}$ discharge. Sufficient calibration was done so that the measurements could be directly compared with the predictions of a calculation of ${G}^{(2)}({x}_{1},{x}_{2},{x}_{2},{x}_{1})$, the second-order coherence function. Correlations were observed in a mixture of light from two independent sources and between orthogonally polarized components of a beam initially in a pure polarization state.

DOI
10.1103/physrev.175.1661

Related papers

Two-Photon Correlations in a Mixture of Gaussian and Laser Light

G. Present, D. B. Scarl

Measurement of the two-photon time distribution in a mixture of light from a He-Ne laser and a Gaussian source of the same central frequency agrees well with the prediction of coherence theory when the laser is represented by a single coherent state. The peak in the distribution near zero time difference is made up of contributions due to the second-order interference between pairs of Gaussian photons and between laser and Gaussian photons.

Applied Optics•Jan 1, 1972•23 citations

Second-order correlation for the classical and quantum light sources using Timepix Camera

Tomis Prajapati, Shreyansh Agarwal, Paras N. Prasad +1 more

We implemented an experimental aspect of the second-order intensity-intensity correlation function for a coherent light source, employing the high-resolution Timepix (Tpx3Cam) camera to precisely measure photon arrival times and spatial distribution.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2025•0 citations

Photon statistics of partially polarized Gaussian light

Tadashi Aoki, Katsumi Sakurai

Statistical properties of partially polarized Gaussian light were studied experimentally for degrees of polarization $P$ from 0.03 to 1 by a standard technique of photon counting. The Gaussian light with an arbitrary degree of polarization was obtained from Rayleigh scattering of orthogonally polarized laser beams. The factorial moments up to sixth order of the photoelectron distribution were measured with an arbitrary temporal and spatial coherence. After corrections were taken for the experimental conditions, the theoretical values of these factorial moments were compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the theoretical predictions were quantitatively well verified by the present measurements. The microscopic process is discussed from the standpoint of the light scattering system used in the present measurements, and it is shown that the orthogonally polarized components of the scattered light observed are statistically independent.

Physical Review A•Oct 1, 1979•5 citations

The Detection of Time-correlated Photons by a Coincidence Counter

R. Q. Twiss, A. G. Little

The existence of a correlation between the arrival times of photons has been confirmed by measurements with a coincidence counter having a resolving time of 3·5 X 10-9 sec in three different experiments. In the first experiment it was found that the number of coincidence counts recorded from two photomultipliers, the apertures of which were optically superimposed, was significantly greater than when the light beams were incoherent. Furthermore, the number of these correlated counts was in satisfactory agreement with that predicted by theory. In the second experiment the change in the number of excess coincidences was measured as the degree of coherence of the light was altered by increasing the apparent separation of the photocathodes, and in this case also there was reasonable agreement between theory and experiment. In the final experiment it was shown that there was a significant difference between the number of coincidences observed when the light beams were in identical as opposed to orthogonal polarizations, and this last result especially makes it extremely improbable that the correlation could be caused by some spurious effect, such as plasma oscillations in the source, since the light source itself was found to be completely unpolarized.

Australian Journal of Physics•Mar 1, 1959•37 citations

PHOTON CORRELATION IN COHERENT LIGHT BEAMS

ERIC BRANNEN, H. I. S. Ferguson, W. H. Wehlau

Experiments have been carried out in an attempt to detect any correlation between photons in coherent light rays using a coincidence circuit of resolving time 2τ = 8 ×10 −9 second. A Hg 198 electrodeless discharge tube under rf excitation was used to provide an intense monochromatic source of narrow line width (0.006 Å and 0.009 Å) at 5461 Å. A positive correlation was detected and compared with theoretical predictions.

Canadian Journal of Physics•Jul 1, 1958•18 citations

Further Experiments on Interference of Independent Photon Beams at Low Light Levels*†

R. L. Pfleegor, L. Mandeļ

Interference fringes produced by the superposition of light beams from two independent lasers have been investigated under conditions where the light flux was so low that one photon was usually received at the detector before the next one was emitted by one or the other source. Because the average number of photons detected in each observation was only about 10, a photon correlation technique was used to demonstrate the presence of interference fringes. The measurement procedure was automated, and this led to much greater statistical accuracy than was previously reported. The effect of varying the observation time and the number of interference fringes sampled was investigated, and found to be in good agreement with theory.

Journal of the Optical Society of America•Jul 1, 1968•67 citations
Measurements have been made of the distribution in time of arrival of photons produced in a low-pressure Hg198{\mathrm{Hg}}^{198}Hg198 discharge. Sufficient calibration was done so that the measurements could be directly compared with the predictions of a calculation of G(2)(x1,x2,x2,x1){G}^{(2)}({x}_{1},{x}_{2},{x}_{2},{x}_{1})G(2)(x1​,x2​,x2​,x1​), the second-order coherence function. Correlations were observed in a mixture of light from two independent sources and between orthogonally polarized components of a beam initially in a pure polarization state.
Statistical properties of partially polarized Gaussian light were studied experimentally for degrees of polarization PPP from 0.03 to 1 by a standard technique of photon counting. The Gaussian light with an arbitrary degree of polarization was obtained from Rayleigh scattering of orthogonally polarized laser beams. The factorial moments up to sixth order of the photoelectron distribution were measured with an arbitrary temporal and spatial coherence. After corrections were taken for the experimental conditions, the theoretical values of these factorial moments were compared with the experimental results. It is shown that the theoretical predictions were quantitatively well verified by the present measurements. The microscopic process is discussed from the standpoint of the light scattering system used in the present measurements, and it is shown that the orthogonally polarized components of the scattered light observed are statistically independent.
The existence of a correlation between the arrival times of photons has been confirmed by measurements with a coincidence counter having a resolving time of 3·5 X 10-9 sec in three different experiments. In the first experiment it was found that the number of coincidence counts recorded from two photomultipliers, the apertures of which were optically superimposed, was significantly greater than when the light beams were incoherent. Furthermore, the number of these correlated counts was in satisfactory agreement with that predicted by theory. In the second experiment the change in the number of excess coincidences was measured as the degree of coherence of the light was altered by increasing the apparent separation of the photocathodes, and in this case also there was reasonable agreement between theory and experiment. In the final experiment it was shown that there was a significant difference between the number of coincidences observed when the light beams were in identical as opposed to orthogonal polarizations, and this last result especially makes it extremely improbable that the correlation could be caused by some spurious effect, such as plasma oscillations in the source, since the light source itself was found to be completely unpolarized.
Interference fringes produced by the superposition of light beams from two independent lasers have been investigated under conditions where the light flux was so low that one photon was usually received at the detector before the next one was emitted by one or the other source. Because the average number of photons detected in each observation was only about 10, a photon correlation technique was used to demonstrate the presence of interference fringes. The measurement procedure was automated, and this led to much greater statistical accuracy than was previously reported. The effect of varying the observation time and the number of interference fringes sampled was investigated, and found to be in good agreement with theory.