Single-photon excitation of a coherent state: Catching the elementary step of stimulated light emission

Year: 2005

Authors: Zavatta A., Viciani S., Bellini M.

Autors Affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy and LENS and Department of Physics, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

Abstract: When a single quantum of electromagnetic field excitation is added to the same spatiotemporal mode of a coherent state, a new field state is generated that exhibits intermediate properties between those of the two parents. Such a single-photon-added coherent state is obtained by the action of the photon creation operator on a coherent state and can thus be regarded as the result of the most elementary excitation process of a classical light field. Here we present and describe in depth the experimental realization of such states and their complete analysis by means of a novel ultrafast, time-domain, quantum homodyne tomography technique clearly revealing their nonclassical character.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW A

Volume: 72 (2)      Pages from: 023820-1  to: 023820-9

KeyWords: Coherent state; Electromagnetic field excitation; Elementary excitation process; Quantum homodyne tomography, Coherent light; Electric excitation; Electromagnetic field effects; Light emission; Quantum theory; Tomography, Photons; quantum-to-classical transition
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.72.023820

Citations: 173
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