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IMPERIAL COLLEGE PRESS eBooks

Continuous-Variable Quantum-State Tomography of Optical Fields and Photons

Alexander I. Lvovsky, M. G. Raymer

Published Feb 1, 2007• 7 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1142/9781860948169_0021

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Continuous variable quantum state tomography is one of the most powerful techniques to study the properties of light fields in quantum optics. However, the need for a fixed phase reference has so far prevented widespread usage in other fields such as semiconductor spectroscopy. Here, we introduce nonstationary quantum state tomography, which adapts the technique to the special requirements of ultrafast spectroscopy. In detail, we gain access to the amplitude and phase of light fields with a temporal resolution of about 100 fs without the need for a fixed phase reference. Furthermore, we show how our technique allows us to perform conditional studies of stochastic dynamics that are inaccessible experimentally by conventional means and demonstrate the capabilities experimentally by monitoring the stochastic dynamics of a thermal light field on the sub-ps scale. Finally, we discuss differences and similarities to more standard Hanbury Brown--Twiss photon correlation experiments, which may be considered as the discrete variable analogs of our technique.

arXiv:2002.01465•Physical Review A•Feb 14, 2020•6 citations
This review covers the latest developments in continuous-variable quantum-state tomography of optical fields and photons, placing a special emphasis on its practical aspects and applications in quantum-information technology. Optical homodyne tomography is reviewed as a method of reconstructing the state of light in a given optical mode. A range of relevant practical topics is discussed, such as state-reconstruction algorithms (with emphasis on the maximum-likelihood technique), the technology of time-domain homodyne detection, mode-matching issues, and engineering of complex quantum states of light. The paper also surveys quantum-state tomography for the transverse spatial state (spatial mode) of the field in the special case of fields containing precisely one photon.
In quantum technologies, continuous-variable systems offer advantages over their discrete counterparts. However, continuous-variable tomography suffers from exponentially growing sample complexity. We propose protocols using quantum mirrors to transfer the complete information of incident photonic states onto a control atomic system. This enables full photonic state characterization through measurements on the control atom alone, realized via kernel functions, direct wavefunction reconstruction, and pointwise Wigner function measurements. Our approach overcomes the limitations of conventional photon counting, statistical inference, and inverse transformation, providing a robust framework for benchmarking and verifying non-Gaussian states in continuous-variable quantum optics.
Continuous variable quantum state tomography is one of the most powerful techniques to study the properties of light fields in quantum optics. However, the need for a fixed phase reference has so far prevented widespread usage in other fields such as semiconductor spectroscopy. Here, we introduce nonstationary quantum state tomography, which adapts the technique to the special requirements of ultrafast spectroscopy. In detail, we gain access to the amplitude and phase of light fields with a temporal resolution of about 100 fs without the need for a fixed phase reference. Furthermore, we show how our technique allows us to perform conditional studies of stochastic dynamics that are inaccessible experimentally by conventional means and demonstrate the capabilities experimentally by monitoring the stochastic dynamics of a thermal light field on the sub-ps scale. Finally, we discuss differences and similarities to more standard Hanbury Brown--Twiss photon correlation experiments, which may be considered as the discrete variable analogs of our technique.