Fluctuations and correlations in quantum-optical systems: An alternative computational approach.

Abstract

We discuss a procedure for the calculation of operator correlation functions that arise frequently in quantum-optics problems. The starting point of our method is the tradiational quantum regression theorem, and its implementation requires only the solution of the master equation for the density operator of the system of interest. An attractive feature of this scheme of calculation is that it offers some distinctive advantages over the conventional Langevin-equations approach or other procedures that rely on the mapping of the density operator into appropriate phase-space distribution functions