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Introduction
Optics Express, Vol. 3, Issue 4, pp. 130-130 (1998)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.3.000130
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Abstract
Quantum noise reduction in optical systems and the determination of quasi-distribution functions, in particular Wigner functions, to describe quantum optical states, have been central issues in quantum optics for a number of years. The generation of sources of squeezed light has opened very exciting possibilities of ultrahigh precision measurements beyond the standard quantum limit, by either interferometric or spectroscopic means. In the present issue, the paper by Mundarain and Orszag discusses the interferometric detection of ultrasmall signals, in particular gravitational waves, when one injects a squeezed state in the unused port of the interferometer. The authors find that the sensitivity of the system is very strongly affected by the quantum efficiency of the non-ideal photodetectors, when the squeezed signal is injected, as opposed to the ordinary vacuum case where the effects are rather small. This imposes strong conditions on the quality of those photodetectors. The standard quantum limit and the corresponding minimum detectable gravitational amplitude is also discussed in general, for short time measurements.
© Optical Society of America
Introduction
Quantum noise reduction in optical systems and the determination of quasi-distribution functions, in particular Wigner functions, to describe quantum optical states, have been central issues in quantum optics for a number of years. The generation of sources of squeezed light has opened very exciting possibilities of ultrahigh precision measurements beyond the standard quantum limit, by either interferometric or spectroscopic means.
In the present issue, the paper by Mundarain and Orszag discusses the interferometric detection of ultrasmall signals, in particular gravitational waves, when one injects a squeezed state in the unused port of the interferometer. The authors find that the sensitivity of the system is very strongly affected by the quantum efficiency of the non-ideal photodetectors, when the squeezed signal is injected, as opposed to the ordinary vacuum case where the effects are rather small. This imposes strong conditions on the quality of those photodetectors. The standard quantum limit and the corresponding minimum detectable gravitational amplitude is also discussed in general, for short time measurements.
Banaszek and Wodkiewicz on the other hand, explore the application of squeezed states as a probe field in a simple optical detection scheme. They find, for example, that for a Schrodinger cat state, they are able to detect clearly the fluctuations and interference, in the Wigner representation, using a squeezed state as a probe, despite the losses through the unused port of the optical setup.
Lutterbach and Davidovich propose a cavity QED experiment to measure negative values of the Wigner distribution, which amounts to detecting non-classical states. Furthermore, the realization of a controlled-not gate would be a particular case corresponding to the measurement of the Wigner function at the origin for a one photon state.
Finally, Wu, Lam, Gray and Bachor report the experimental results of optical homodyne tomographic measurements to reconstruct the Wigner functions at different frequencies, corresponding to the optical field of a phase modulated laser beam. The advantage of this method is the simultaneous measurement of the signal to noise ratio of both amplitude and phase quadratures.
I would like to thank Professor J. H. Eberly for inviting me to participate as a focus coordinator of this issue of Optics Express. Also my thanks to all contributing authors and editorial staff.
ToC Category:
Focus Issue: Quantum noise reduction in optical systems
History
Original Manuscript: August 17, 1998
Published: August 17, 1998
Citation
Miguel Orszag, "Introduction," Opt. Express 3, 130-130 (1998)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-3-4-130
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