On the core of the fractional Fourier transform and its role in composing complex fractional Fourier transformations and Fresnel transformations

Abstract

By a quantum mechanical analysis of the additive rule Fα[Fβ[f]]=Fα+β[f], which the fractional Fourier transformation (FrFT) Fα[f] should satisfy, we reveal that the position-momentum mutual-transformation operator is the core element for constructing the integration kernel of FrFT. Based on this observation and the two mutually conjugate entangled-state representations, we then derive a core operator for enabling a complex fractional Fourier transformation (CFrFT), which also obeys the additive rule. In a similar manner, we also reveal the fractional transformation property for a type of Fresnel operator.