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

Sub-Poissonian light from a laser with an injected signal

Márcia T. Fontenelle, L. Davidovich

Published Mar 1, 1995• 14 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We show that the injection of an external field in a laser helps to improve amplitude squeezing and sub-Poissonian light generation close to threshold, but spoils quantum noise reduction for very high pumping rates. A general nonlinear theory is developed for the resonant case (no detunings), without any assumption on the relative magnitudes of field and atomic decay constants, thus encompassing a large class of lasers. Several possible pumping schemes are accommodated, ranging from regular to Poissonian. We carry out a detailed stability analysis of the general equations of motion, relating it to the noise-reduction problem. Both the photon-number variance inside the cavity and the homodyne spectra of the output are discussed.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.51.2560

Related papers

Quantum noise reduction in lasers with nonlinear absorbers

Helmut Ritsch, P. Zoller

Using an extension of the Scully—Lamb laser theory we show that by insertion of nonlinear elements in the cavity, laser light with nonclassical sub—Poissonian photon statistics can be generated. For an N—photon absorber in the limit of small saturation the variance of the photon number distribution can be reduced by a factor of (+1/N) compared to Poissonian limit of the usual laser. When we generalize the type of such nonlinear elements to the case of a nonlinear feedback or Raman type nonlinear transition, the noise in the laser intensity can be reduced even further and approach the ideal limit, characterized by a Mandel Q parameter of Q = —1. Furthermore we show how this noise reduction via nonlinearities can be combined with a regular pump mechanism, which recently has been sugessted as a way to generate sub—Poissonian light. It turns out that in certain configurations the effect of both methods can be combined. Finally we show how this nonclassical behaviour is also reflected in a reduction of the output intensity power spectra below the shot noise level.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Mar 1, 1991•0 citations

Role of pumping statistics and dynamics of atomic polarization in quantum fluctuations of laser sources

Mikhail I. Kolobov, L. Davidovich, E. Giacobino +1 more

We solve the problem of a laser with variable pumping statistics for any relative magnitude of the atomic- and cavity-decay constants, and obtain a different regime of sub-Poissonian light generation. We show that, even for Poissonian pumping, the noise in the amplitude quadrature outside the cavity can be reduced up to 50% below the shot-noise level when the polarization but not the populations can be adiabatically eliminated. Maximum noise reduction in this case is obtained when the lower level decays much faster than the upper one and occurs at a frequency given by the geometrical mean of the decay rates of the field and the lower-level population. Furthermore, the full consideration of atomic memory effects leads to a generalization of previous results on regularly pumped lasers. We find that, for regular pumping, maximum amplitude-noise reduction (up to complete quieting) still occurs at zero frequency in all cases. However, a long-living polarizaton leads to an increase in amplitude noise and may even eliminate the dip at zero frequency, at the same time leading to a significant quenching of the laser linewidth in the bad-cavity limit.

Physical Review A•Feb 1, 1993•128 citations

Quantum noise reduction in lasers with nonlinear absorbers

Helmut Ritsch

The author uses an extension of the Scully-Lamb laser theory to show that, by the help of nonlinear absorbers in the cavity, laser light with nonclassical sub-Poissonian photon statistics can be generated. For an N-photon absorber the variance of the photon number distribution can be reduced by a factor of ( 1 / 2 +1/N) compared to the usual laser. Using a modified version of such nonlinear absorbers, like a nonlinear feedback or a Raman-type nonlinear transition, the noise can be reduced even further and approach the ideal limit, characterised by a Mandel Q parameter of Q approximately=-1. Furthermore he investigates how this noise reduction via nonlinearities can be combined with a regular pump mechanism and show that in certain configurations the effect of both methods of generating sub-Poissonian light can be combined.

Quantum Optics Journal of the European Optical Society Part B•Apr 1, 1990•25 citations

Sub-Poissonian processes in quantum optics

L. Davidovich

The author reviews methods for generating sub-Poissonian light and related concepts. This light has energy fluctuations reduced below the level which corresponds to a classical Poissonian process (shot-noise level). After an introduction to the concept of nonclassical light, an overview is given of the main methods of quantum-noise reduction. Sub-Poissonian processes are exemplified in different areas of optics, ranging from single-atom resonance fluorescence to nonlinear optics, laser physics, and cavity quantum electrodynamics. Emphasis is placed on the conceptual foundations, and on developments in laser theory that lead to the possibility, already demonstrated experimentally, of linewidth narrowing and sub-Poissonian light generation in lasers and masers. The sources of quantum noise in these devices are analyzed, and four noise-suppression methods are discussed in detail: regularization of the pumping, suppression of spontaneous-emission noise, nonadiabatic evolution of the atomic variables, and twin-beam generation.

Reviews of Modern Physics•Jan 1, 1996•358 citations

Quantum-noise reduction in semiconductor lasers

A. Jann, Y. Ben-Aryeh

A second-order correlation function approach is adopted to focus on the mechanism for generating amplitude-squeezed light in a semiconductor diode laser pumped with suppressed amplitude fluctuations. Second-order correlation functions between the electromagnetic field intensities and between the electromagnetic field intensities and the charge carrier numbers are calculated. Sub-Poissonian statistics and antibunching effects inside the laser cavity are analyzed; the analysis focuses on various quantities responsible for generating this state of the field. The influence of these quantities on the noise spectra of the detected field and conditions for quantum-noise reduction are considered.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•May 1, 1996•14 citations

Sub-Poissonian laser emission from a single-electron permanently interacting with a single-mode cavity

Jacques Arnaud, Laurent Chusseau, Fabrice Philippe

Quiet (or sub-Poissonian) oscillators generate a number of dissipation events whose variance is less than the mean. It was shown in 1984 by Golubev and Sokolov that lasers driven by regular pumps are quiet in that sense. The purpose of this paper is to show that, as long as the laser-detector system is strictly stationary, quantization of the optical field is not required to explain such phenomena. The theory presented here is semi-classical, yet exact. Previous theories considering excited-state atoms regularly-injected in resonators, on the other hand, do require in principle light quantization. Specifically, we consider a laser involving a single electron permanently interacting with the field and driven by a constant-potential battery, and point out a similarity with reflex klystrons. The detected noise is found to be only 7/8 of the shot-noise level. It is therefore sub-Poissonian. Our calculations are related to resonance-fluorescence treatments but with different physical interpretations.

arXiv:0710.2596•Oct 13, 2007•0 citations
We show that the injection of an external field in a laser helps to improve amplitude squeezing and sub-Poissonian light generation close to threshold, but spoils quantum noise reduction for very high pumping rates. A general nonlinear theory is developed for the resonant case (no detunings), without any assumption on the relative magnitudes of field and atomic decay constants, thus encompassing a large class of lasers. Several possible pumping schemes are accommodated, ranging from regular to Poissonian. We carry out a detailed stability analysis of the general equations of motion, relating it to the noise-reduction problem. Both the photon-number variance inside the cavity and the homodyne spectra of the output are discussed.
Using an extension of the Scully—Lamb laser theory we show that by insertion of nonlinear elements in the cavity, laser light with nonclassical sub—Poissonian photon statistics can be generated. For an N—photon absorber in the limit of small saturation the variance of the photon number distribution can be reduced by a factor of (+1/N) compared to Poissonian limit of the usual laser. When we generalize the type of such nonlinear elements to the case of a nonlinear feedback or Raman type nonlinear transition, the noise in the laser intensity can be reduced even further and approach the ideal limit, characterized by a Mandel Q parameter of Q = —1. Furthermore we show how this noise reduction via nonlinearities can be combined with a regular pump mechanism, which recently has been sugessted as a way to generate sub—Poissonian light. It turns out that in certain configurations the effect of both methods can be combined. Finally we show how this nonclassical behaviour is also reflected in a reduction of the output intensity power spectra below the shot noise level.
We solve the problem of a laser with variable pumping statistics for any relative magnitude of the atomic- and cavity-decay constants, and obtain a different regime of sub-Poissonian light generation. We show that, even for Poissonian pumping, the noise in the amplitude quadrature outside the cavity can be reduced up to 50% below the shot-noise level when the polarization but not the populations can be adiabatically eliminated. Maximum noise reduction in this case is obtained when the lower level decays much faster than the upper one and occurs at a frequency given by the geometrical mean of the decay rates of the field and the lower-level population. Furthermore, the full consideration of atomic memory effects leads to a generalization of previous results on regularly pumped lasers. We find that, for regular pumping, maximum amplitude-noise reduction (up to complete quieting) still occurs at zero frequency in all cases. However, a long-living polarizaton leads to an increase in amplitude noise and may even eliminate the dip at zero frequency, at the same time leading to a significant quenching of the laser linewidth in the bad-cavity limit.
The author uses an extension of the Scully-Lamb laser theory to show that, by the help of nonlinear absorbers in the cavity, laser light with nonclassical sub-Poissonian photon statistics can be generated. For an N-photon absorber the variance of the photon number distribution can be reduced by a factor of ( 1 / 2 +1/N) compared to the usual laser. Using a modified version of such nonlinear absorbers, like a nonlinear feedback or a Raman-type nonlinear transition, the noise can be reduced even further and approach the ideal limit, characterised by a Mandel Q parameter of Q approximately=-1. Furthermore he investigates how this noise reduction via nonlinearities can be combined with a regular pump mechanism and show that in certain configurations the effect of both methods of generating sub-Poissonian light can be combined.
The author reviews methods for generating sub-Poissonian light and related concepts. This light has energy fluctuations reduced below the level which corresponds to a classical Poissonian process (shot-noise level). After an introduction to the concept of nonclassical light, an overview is given of the main methods of quantum-noise reduction. Sub-Poissonian processes are exemplified in different areas of optics, ranging from single-atom resonance fluorescence to nonlinear optics, laser physics, and cavity quantum electrodynamics. Emphasis is placed on the conceptual foundations, and on developments in laser theory that lead to the possibility, already demonstrated experimentally, of linewidth narrowing and sub-Poissonian light generation in lasers and masers. The sources of quantum noise in these devices are analyzed, and four noise-suppression methods are discussed in detail: regularization of the pumping, suppression of spontaneous-emission noise, nonadiabatic evolution of the atomic variables, and twin-beam generation.
A second-order correlation function approach is adopted to focus on the mechanism for generating amplitude-squeezed light in a semiconductor diode laser pumped with suppressed amplitude fluctuations. Second-order correlation functions between the electromagnetic field intensities and between the electromagnetic field intensities and the charge carrier numbers are calculated. Sub-Poissonian statistics and antibunching effects inside the laser cavity are analyzed; the analysis focuses on various quantities responsible for generating this state of the field. The influence of these quantities on the noise spectra of the detected field and conditions for quantum-noise reduction are considered.
Quiet (or sub-Poissonian) oscillators generate a number of dissipation events whose variance is less than the mean. It was shown in 1984 by Golubev and Sokolov that lasers driven by regular pumps are quiet in that sense. The purpose of this paper is to show that, as long as the laser-detector system is strictly stationary, quantization of the optical field is not required to explain such phenomena. The theory presented here is semi-classical, yet exact. Previous theories considering excited-state atoms regularly-injected in resonators, on the other hand, do require in principle light quantization. Specifically, we consider a laser involving a single electron permanently interacting with the field and driven by a constant-potential battery, and point out a similarity with reflex klystrons. The detected noise is found to be only 7/8 of the shot-noise level. It is therefore sub-Poissonian. Our calculations are related to resonance-fluorescence treatments but with different physical interpretations.