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 A

Nonclassical polarization states

Alfredo Luis

Published Jun 6, 2006• 31 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study nonclassical polarization states characterized by polarization distributions taking negative values. We consider two different families of polarization distributions that include polarization analogs of the Wigner function. We apply different measures of nonclassical behavior such as the nonclassical depth and the distance of the polarization distribution to its modulus. This approach is applied to relevant quantum field states such as one-photon states, SU(2) coherent states, quadrature coherent states, and twin number states. We examine observables allowing the detection of the negativity of the polarization distributions.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.73.063806

Related papers

Experimental demonstration of negative-valued polarization quasiprobability distribution

Kirill Yu. Spasibko, Maria V. Chekhova, Farid Ya Khalili

Polarization quasiprobability distribution defined in the Stokes space shares many important properties with the Wigner function for position and momentum. Most notably, they both give correct one-dimensional marginal probability distributions and therefore represent the natural choice for the probability distributions in classical hidden-variable models. In this context, negativity of the Wigner function is considered as proof of nonclassicality for a quantum state. On the contrary, the polarization quasiprobability distribution demonstrates negativity for all quantum states. This feature comes from the discrete nature of Stokes variables; however, it was not observed in previous experiments, because they were performed with photon-number averaging detectors. Here we reconstruct the polarization quasiprobability distribution of a coherent state with photon-number resolving detectors, which allows us to directly observe for the first time its negativity. Furthermore we derive a theoretical polarization quasiprobability distribution for any linearly polarized quantum state.

arXiv:1508.03510•Physical Review A•Aug 9, 2017•7 citations

Nonclassical features of the polarization quasiprobability distribution

Maria V. Chekhova, Farid Ya Khalili

Polarization quasiprobability distribution is defined in the space of the Stokes observables. It can be reconstructed with the help of polarization quantum tomography and provides a full description of the so-called polarization sector of quantum states of light. We show here that due to its definition in terms of the discrete-valued Stokes operators, polarization quasiprobability distribution has singularities at integer values of the Stokes observables and takes negative values even for the quantum states typically considered as ``classical'' ones. In experiments with ``bright'' multiphoton states, the photon-number resolution is smeared due to the photodetectors' technical limitations. In this case, nonclassical features of the explored quantum states can be revealed by adding a strong coherent beam into the orthogonal polarization.

arXiv:1305.5322•Physical Review A•Aug 13, 2013•5 citations

Quantum polarization distributions via marginals of quadrature distributions

Alfredo Luis

We derive quantum polarization distributions on the Poincar\'e sphere for two-mode fields as suitable marginals of the standard $s$-ordered quadrature distributions that include the Wigner function. We compare them with previously introduced distributions directly defined on the sphere from first principles. We apply this approach to some relevant field states such as coherent and number states.

Physical Review A•May 2, 2005•24 citations

Nonclassical Properties of Superposition of Two Coherent States Shifted in Phase by 3π/2

Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad, Ran Zeng, Shutian Liu

We consider the quantum superposition of two coherent states shifted in phase by 3π/2, |α⟩ and |− i α⟩, as well as special states that are characterized solely with respect to amplitude α. According to analysis of nonclassical properties such as oscillatory and sub-Poissonian distribution of photon numbers, photon antibunching, quadrature squeezing, and negativity of Wigner function, it is concluded that the considered superposition state is a nonclassical state. Also, the special state is found to exhibit even stronger nonclassical features when relative phase ϕ of the superposition is equal to the average photon number |α| 2 .

Chinese Physics Letters•Sep 1, 2006•11 citations

Degree of polarization in quantum optics

Alfredo Luis

Quantum optics entails polarization properties that cannot be fully described by the classical Stokes parameters. In this work, we characterize the polarization of classical as well as quantum fields by means of a probability distribution on the Poincar\'e sphere. This serves to define the degree of polarization of a field state as the distance between the corresponding polarization distribution and the uniform distribution representing unpolarized light. We apply this definition to relevant quantum field states such as SU(2) coherent, squeezed, number, and phase states.

Physical Review A•Jul 15, 2002•122 citations

Nonclassical quadrature distributions

Evgeny V Shchukin, Th. Richter, W. Vogel

The characterization of nonclassicality of quantum states in terms of measurable quadrature distributions is studied, on the basis of recently derived necessary and sufficient conditions for the failure of the Glauber–Sudarshan P -function to be a probability density. When the noise-subtracted quadrature distribution, that is the marginal of the P -function, is not a probability density, the same is true for the Glauber–Sudarshan P -function. Inversely, for a complete characterization of a nonclassical P -function one needs phase-sensitive criteria that connect quadrature distributions for different phases. Even for phase-insensitive quantum states, phase-sensitive nonclassicality conditions are needed, as is illustrated for one-photon added thermal states.

Journal of Optics B Quantum and Semiclassical Optics•May 29, 2004•8 citations
We study nonclassical polarization states characterized by polarization distributions taking negative values. We consider two different families of polarization distributions that include polarization analogs of the Wigner function. We apply different measures of nonclassical behavior such as the nonclassical depth and the distance of the polarization distribution to its modulus. This approach is applied to relevant quantum field states such as one-photon states, SU(2) coherent states, quadrature coherent states, and twin number states. We examine observables allowing the detection of the negativity of the polarization distributions.
Polarization quasiprobability distribution defined in the Stokes space shares many important properties with the Wigner function for position and momentum. Most notably, they both give correct one-dimensional marginal probability distributions and therefore represent the natural choice for the probability distributions in classical hidden-variable models. In this context, negativity of the Wigner function is considered as proof of nonclassicality for a quantum state. On the contrary, the polarization quasiprobability distribution demonstrates negativity for all quantum states. This feature comes from the discrete nature of Stokes variables; however, it was not observed in previous experiments, because they were performed with photon-number averaging detectors. Here we reconstruct the polarization quasiprobability distribution of a coherent state with photon-number resolving detectors, which allows us to directly observe for the first time its negativity. Furthermore we derive a theoretical polarization quasiprobability distribution for any linearly polarized quantum state.
Polarization quasiprobability distribution is defined in the space of the Stokes observables. It can be reconstructed with the help of polarization quantum tomography and provides a full description of the so-called polarization sector of quantum states of light. We show here that due to its definition in terms of the discrete-valued Stokes operators, polarization quasiprobability distribution has singularities at integer values of the Stokes observables and takes negative values even for the quantum states typically considered as ``classical'' ones. In experiments with ``bright'' multiphoton states, the photon-number resolution is smeared due to the photodetectors' technical limitations. In this case, nonclassical features of the explored quantum states can be revealed by adding a strong coherent beam into the orthogonal polarization.
We derive quantum polarization distributions on the Poincar\'e sphere for two-mode fields as suitable marginals of the standard sss-ordered quadrature distributions that include the Wigner function. We compare them with previously introduced distributions directly defined on the sphere from first principles. We apply this approach to some relevant field states such as coherent and number states.
We consider the quantum superposition of two coherent states shifted in phase by 3π/2, |α⟩ and |− i α⟩, as well as special states that are characterized solely with respect to amplitude α. According to analysis of nonclassical properties such as oscillatory and sub-Poissonian distribution of photon numbers, photon antibunching, quadrature squeezing, and negativity of Wigner function, it is concluded that the considered superposition state is a nonclassical state. Also, the special state is found to exhibit even stronger nonclassical features when relative phase ϕ of the superposition is equal to the average photon number |α| 2 .
Quantum optics entails polarization properties that cannot be fully described by the classical Stokes parameters. In this work, we characterize the polarization of classical as well as quantum fields by means of a probability distribution on the Poincar\'e sphere. This serves to define the degree of polarization of a field state as the distance between the corresponding polarization distribution and the uniform distribution representing unpolarized light. We apply this definition to relevant quantum field states such as SU(2) coherent, squeezed, number, and phase states.
The characterization of nonclassicality of quantum states in terms of measurable quadrature distributions is studied, on the basis of recently derived necessary and sufficient conditions for the failure of the Glauber–Sudarshan P -function to be a probability density. When the noise-subtracted quadrature distribution, that is the marginal of the P -function, is not a probability density, the same is true for the Glauber–Sudarshan P -function. Inversely, for a complete characterization of a nonclassical P -function one needs phase-sensitive criteria that connect quadrature distributions for different phases. Even for phase-insensitive quantum states, phase-sensitive nonclassicality conditions are needed, as is illustrated for one-photon added thermal states.