Manipulating the vacuum: squeezed states of light

Abstract

All quantum states of light exhibit field fluctuations even the vacuum state. Quantum opticians have succeeded in manipulating the fields to produce squeezed light with a field that fluctuates at a lower noise level than the vacuum field. These states have electric or magnetic fields that are more accurately prescribed than in the vacuum state. The application of squeezed light will provide new opportunities in high-precision measurement. It will also allow one to modify fundamental vacuum field effects such as spontaneous emission and the Lamb shift.