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

Topical Meeting on Quantum-Limited Imaging and Image Processing

The Use of Optical Dead-Time Effects for the Generation of Anti-Bunched and Sub-Poissonian Photo-Electron Statistics

Eric Jakeman

Published Jan 1, 1986• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A great deal of effort has been devoted during the last decade to the theory of nonclassical states of the radiation field. From a practical point of view some of the most interesting predictions of these theories concern the generation of light with sub-Poissonian photon counting statistics for which Such light is evidently less noisy than laser radiation with obvious implications for the improved performance of optical systems. When the temporal autocorrelation function of the photon counts increases as the delay time increases from zero the light is also said to be antibunched.

DOI
10.1364/qlip.1986.tuc2

Related papers

Optical Dead Time Effects And Sub Poissonion Photo-Electron Counting Statistics

J.G. Walker, Eric Jakeman

The use of dead time effects to generate sub-Poissonion photo-electron counting statistics is discussed. An experiment is described in which dead times are introduced using an optical shutter triggered by photo-detection events. Although the triggering photo-electron train is sub-Poissonion and antibunched, the light sampled by a second detector gives rise to a super-Poissonion and bunched train of photo-elecrons. A second experiment is proposed which would generate truly sub-Poisson light (ie detector independent). This is based on the use of optical dead times in parametric fluorescence.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Mar 27, 1985•11 citations

Generation and Statistical Properties of Optical Dead-time Effects

Doo Jin Cho, G. Michael Morris

An optoelectronic device that can generate either the non-paralysable or the paralysable dead-time effect has been constructed using a feedback scheme in conjunction with the acousto-optic deflector. ‘Semi-classical’ experiments show good agreement with the theory, which predicts antibunching and sub-Poissonian statistics. An expression for the correlation function of an arbitrary order is obtained for a general renewal process. From this general result, exact expressions for autocorrelation functions for both the non-paralysable and the paralysable counters are derived when the dead-time is greater than twice the sample time. The Fano factor is considered for both the non-paralysable and the paralysable counters. It is seen that the Fano factor for the paralysable counter can be smaller than that for the non-paralysable counter for a certain range of the input count rate.

Journal of Modern Optics•Apr 1, 1988•2 citations

Photon-antibunching and sub-Poissonian photon statistics

X. T. Zou, L. Mandeļ

It is shown by example that sub-Poissonian photon-counting statistics need not imply photon antibunching, but can be accompanied by photon bunching, i.e., by the tendency of two photons to be close together more frequently than further apart. Some comments on the relation between antibunching and sub-Poissonian statistics are made.

Physical Review A•Jan 1, 1990•170 citations

A model of cavity radiation with anti-bunched and sub-Poissonian characteristics

S. K. Srinivasan

The author proposes a model of cavity population in which each emission gives rise to a random dead time during which no further emissions are possible. The photon population statistics are shown to possess an anti-bunching character for an appropriate choice of parameters.

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Jul 11, 1986•6 citations

Construction of sub-Poissonian radiation fields

H. Baltes, A. Quattropani, P. Schwendimann

Two classes of states showing sub-Poissonian photon statistics are constructed by appropriate mixtures of n-photon states. These mixtures are possibly relevant for anti-bunching.

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Jan 1, 1979•10 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
A great deal of effort has been devoted during the last decade to the theory of nonclassical states of the radiation field. From a practical point of view some of the most interesting predictions of these theories concern the generation of light with sub-Poissonian photon counting statistics for which Such light is evidently less noisy than laser radiation with obvious implications for the improved performance of optical systems. When the temporal autocorrelation function of the photon counts increases as the delay time increases from zero the light is also said to be antibunched.
The use of dead time effects to generate sub-Poissonion photo-electron counting statistics is discussed. An experiment is described in which dead times are introduced using an optical shutter triggered by photo-detection events. Although the triggering photo-electron train is sub-Poissonion and antibunched, the light sampled by a second detector gives rise to a super-Poissonion and bunched train of photo-elecrons. A second experiment is proposed which would generate truly sub-Poisson light (ie detector independent). This is based on the use of optical dead times in parametric fluorescence.
An optoelectronic device that can generate either the non-paralysable or the paralysable dead-time effect has been constructed using a feedback scheme in conjunction with the acousto-optic deflector. ‘Semi-classical’ experiments show good agreement with the theory, which predicts antibunching and sub-Poissonian statistics. An expression for the correlation function of an arbitrary order is obtained for a general renewal process. From this general result, exact expressions for autocorrelation functions for both the non-paralysable and the paralysable counters are derived when the dead-time is greater than twice the sample time. The Fano factor is considered for both the non-paralysable and the paralysable counters. It is seen that the Fano factor for the paralysable counter can be smaller than that for the non-paralysable counter for a certain range of the input count rate.
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.