Higher-order sub-Poissonian Photon Statistics Research Articles

A comparison between higher-order nonclassicalities of superposition engineered coherent and thermal states

We consider an experimentally obtainable superposition (SUP) operator, defined by using a generalized superposition of products of field annihilation (a) and creation (a†) operators of the type A = saa† + ta†a with s2 + t2 = 1. We apply this SUP operator on coherent and thermal quantum states, and the states thus produced are referred to as SUP-operated coherent state (SOCS) and SUP-operated thermal state (SOTS), respectively. In the present work, we report a comparative study between the higher-order nonclassical properties of SOCS and SOTS. The comparison is performed by using a set of nonclassicality witnesses (e.g., higher-order anti-bunching, higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics, higher-order squeezing, Agarwal–Tara parameter, Klyshko’s condition). The existence of higher-order nonclassicalities in SOCS and SOTS have been investigated for the first time. In view of possible experimental verification of the proposed scheme, we present exact calculations to reveal the effect of non-unit quantum efficiency of quantum detector on higher-order nonclassicalities.

Impact of photon addition and subtraction on nonclassical and phase properties of a displaced Fock state

Various nonclassical and quantum phase properties of photon added then subtracted displaced Fock state have been examined systematically and rigorously. Higher-order moments of the relevant bosonic operators are computed to test the nonclassicality of the state of interest, which reduces to various quantum states (having applications in quantum optics, metrology and information processing) in different limits ranging from the coherent (classical) state to the Fock (most nonclassical) states. The nonclassical features are discussed using Klyshko’s, Vogel’s, and Agarwal–Tara’s criteria as well as the criteria of lower- and higher-order antibunching, sub-Poissonian photon statistics and squeezing. In addition, phase distribution function and quantum phase fluctuation have been studied. These properties are examined for various combinations of number of photon addition and/or subtraction and Fock parameter. The examination has revealed that photon addition generally improves nonclassicality, and this advantage enhances for the large (small) values of displacement parameter using photon subtraction (Fock parameter). The higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics is only observed for the odd orders. In general, higher-order nonclassicality criteria are found to detect nonclassicality even in the cases when corresponding lower-order criteria failed to do so. Photon subtraction is observed to induce squeezing, but only large number of photon addition can be used to probe squeezing for large values of displacement parameter. Further, photon subtraction is found to alter the phase properties more than photon addition, while Fock parameter has an opposite effect of the photon addition/subtraction. Finally, nonclassicality and non-Gaussianity is also established using Q function.

Generalized binomial state: Nonclassical features observed through various witnesses and a quantifier of nonclassicality

Experimental realization of various quantum states of interest has become possible in the recent past due to the rapid developments in the field of quantum state engineering. Nonclassical properties of such states have led to various exciting applications, specifically in the area of quantum information processing. The present article aims to study lower- and higher-order nonclassical features of such an engineered quantum state (a generalized binomial state based on Abel’s formula). Present study has revealed that the state studied here is highly nonclassical. Specifically, higher-order nonclassical properties of this state are reported using a set of witnesses, like higher-order antibunching, higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics, higher-order squeezing (both Hong–Mandel type and Hillery type). A set of other witnesses for lower- and higher-order nonclassicality (e.g., Vogel’s criterion and Agarwal’s A parameter) have also been explored. Further, an analytic expression for the Wigner function of the generalized binomial state is reported and the same is used to witness nonclassicality and to quantify the amount of nonclassicality present in the system by computing the nonclassical volume (volume of the negative part of the Wigner function). Optical tomogram of the generalized binomial state is also computed for various conditions as Wigner function cannot be measured directly in an experiment in general, but the same can be obtained from the optical tomogram with the help of Radon transform.

Higher-Order Nonclassical Properties of a Shifted Symmetric Cat State and a One-Dimensional Continuous Superposition of Coherent States

Role of quantum interference in the origin of higher-order nonclassical characteristics of radiation field has been probed vis-a-vis a discrete and a continuous superposition of coherent states. Specifically, the possibilities of observing higher-order nonclassical properties (e.g., higher-order antibunching (HOA), higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics (HOSPS), higher-order squeezing (HOS) of Hong-Mandel type and Hillery type) have been investigated using a shifted symmetric cat state that reduces to Yurke-Stoler, even and odd coherent states at various limits. This shifted symmetric cat state which can be viewed as a discrete superposition of coherent states is found to show HOA and HOSPS. Similarly, higher-order nonclassical properties of a one-dimensional continuous superposition of coherent states is also studied here. The investigation has revealed the existence of HOS and HOSPS in the one-dimensional continuous superposition of coherent states studied here. Effect of non-Gaussianity inducing operations (e.g., photon addition and addition followed by subtraction) on these superposition states have also been investigated. Finally, some comparisons have been made between the higher-order nonclassical properties of discrete and continuous superposition of coherent states.

Comparison of lower- and higher-order nonclassicality in photon added and subtracted squeezed coherent states

Nonclassical properties of photon added and subtracted squeezed coherent states have been compared with specific focus on the higher-order nonclassicalities, such as higher-order squeezing, higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics, higher-order antibunching. It is observed that both photon added and subtracted squeezed coherent states are highly nonclassical as they satisfy criteria for all of the above mentioned nonclassicalities and a set of other criteria including negativity of Wigner function, Klyshko's criterion and Agarwal's (A3) parameter. Further, the amount of nonclassicality present in these two types of states has been compared quantitatively using a measure of nonclassicality known as nonclassical volume. Variation in the amount of nonclassicality with the number of photon(s) added/subtracted is also investigated, and it is found that the addition of photons makes the squeezed coherent state more nonclassical than what is done by the subtraction of photons.

Simultaneous higher-order Hong–Mandel's squeezing and higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics in superposed coherent states

We study maximum simultaneous 2nth-order Hong and Mandel's squeezing of the most general the Hermitian operator, Xθ≡X1cosθ+X2sinθ, and nth-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics (connected with expectation value of 2nth power of number fluctuation), in the most general superposition state, ψ=Z1α+Z2β of two coherent states α and β. Here Hermitian operators X1,2 are defined by X1+iX2=a, the annihilation operator, complex numbers Z1,2, α, β are all arbitrary and the only restriction on these is the normalization condition of the state. We find a linear relationship between these two non-classical effects when the angle θ=arg(α+β) and α+β≫α−β. We show that maximum simultaneous 2nth-order Hong and Mandel's squeezing for the operator Xθ and nth-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics in the state occur for an infinite combinations with α−β=A2nexp±i1/2π+iθ; A2n is a constant which depends on the order of squeezing, Z2/Z1=exp1/2(βα*−β*α) and with θ=arg(α+β) and α+β≫α−β. We also illustrate analytically and numerically by an example that both effects occur simultaneously for high-intensity field but for observation of such effects, sensitive settings of the parameters are required.

Recent developments in the study of higher order nonclassical states

Our recent observations ort higher order nonclassicality are described. Recently we have shown that a generalized notion of higher order nonclassicality (in terms of higher order moments) can be introduced. Under this generalized framework of higher order nonclassicality, conditions of higher order squeezing and higher order subpoissonian photon statistics are derived. Further, with the help of simple density matrices, it is shown that the higher order antibunching (HOA) and higher order subpoissonian photon statistics (HOSPS) are not the manifestation of the same phenomenon and consequently it is incorrect to use the condition of HOA as a test of HOSPS. It is established that the HOA and HOSPS may exist even in absence of the corresponding lower order phenomenon. It is also shown that the potential sources of Single photon must satisfy the condition of HOA. Most of the intermediate states are shown to satisfy the criteria of HOA. A protocol for comparison of potential Single photon sources (SPS) is reported here and the protocol is used to compare some of the existing proposals of SPS. Further, it is shown that it is possible to derive an arbitrarily large number of criterion for higher order nonclassicality but all of them does not yield new and interesting information.

Study of higher order non-classical properties of squeezed Kerr state

Recently, Prakash and Mishra [J. Phys. B: at. Mol. Opt. Phys., 39, 2291(2006); 40, 2531(2007)] have studied higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistic conditions for non-classicality in the form of general inequalities for expectation values of products of arbitrary powers of photon number and of photon-number fluctuation. It is, therefore, vital to study the generation of these higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics (phase-insensitive behavior) in a physically realizable medium and their relations to higher order squeezing (phase-sensitive behavior). In the present paper, we study higher order non-classical properties, such as Hong and Mandel squeezing, amplitude-squared squeezing and higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics, of squeezed Kerr state which is generated by squeezing the output of a Kerr medium whose input is coherent light. Such states can be realized if laser light is sent through an optical fiber and then into a degenerate parametric amplifier. It is established that the squeezed Kerr state can exhibit higher order non-classical properties.

Generalized structure of higher order nonclassicality

A generalized notion of higher order nonclassicality (in terms of higher order moments) is introduced. Under this generalized framework of higher order nonclassicality, conditions of higher order squeezing and higher order subpoissonian photon statistics are derived. A simpler form of the Hong–Mandel higher order squeezing criterion is derived under this framework by using an operator ordering theorem introduced by us in [A. Pathak, J. Phys. A 33 (2000) 5607]. It is also generalized for multi-photon Bose operators of Brandt and Greenberg. Similarly, condition for higher order subpoissonian photon statistics is derived by normal ordering of higher powers of number operator. Further, with the help of simple density matrices, it is shown that the higher order antibunching (HOA) and higher order subpoissonian photon statistics (HOSPS) are not the manifestation of the same phenomenon and consequently it is incorrect to use the condition of HOA as a test of HOSPS. It is also shown that the HOA and HOSPS may exist even in absence of the corresponding lower order phenomenon. Binomial state, nonlinear first order excited squeezed state (NLESS) and nonlinear vacuum squeezed state (NLVSS) are used as examples of quantum state and it is shown that these states may show higher order nonclassical characteristics. It is observed that the Binomial state which is always antibunched, is not always higher order squeezed and NLVSS which shows higher order squeezing does not show HOSPS and HOA. The opposite is observed in NLESS and consequently it is established that the HOSPS and HOS are two independent signatures of higher order nonclassicality.

Higher order antibunching in intermediate states

Since the introduction of binomial state as an intermediate state, different intermediate states have been proposed. Different nonclassical effects have also been reported in these intermediate states. But till now higher order antibunching is predicted in only one type of intermediate state, which is known as shadowed negative binomial state. Recently we have shown that the higher order antibunching is not a rare phenomenon [P. Gupta, P. Pandey, A. Pathak, J. Phys. B 39 (2006) 1137]. To establish our earlier claim further, here we have shown that the higher order antibunching can be seen in different intermediate states, such as binomial state, reciprocal binomial state, hypergeometric state, generalized binomial state, negative binomial state and photon added coherent state. We have studied the possibility of observing the higher order subpoissonian photon statistics in different limits of intermediate states. The effects of different control parameters on the depth of non classicality have also been studied in this connection and it has been shown that the depth of nonclassicality can be tuned by controlling various physical parameters.

Higher-order properties of photon-added coherent states

We have studied a higher-order squeezing and a higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics in photon-added coherent states. We obtained analytic forms of the degree of higher-order squeezing and the degree of higher-order sub-Poissonian statistics. We show that the photon-added coherent state | α , m 〉 exhibits both higher-order squeezing and higher-order sub-Poissonian character. For two different types of higher-order squeezing, the degree of squeezing becomes bigger when the added photon number is increased. In single-photon-added coherent state, the degree of squeezing depends upon the order of squeezing N. When N is increased, the degree of squeezing becomes bigger in the Hong–Mandel-type higher-order squeezing but becomes smaller in the Hillery-type higher-order squeezing. Also, the higher-order sub-Poissonian character is more pronounced than the usual sub-Poissonian character in the single-photon-added coherent state.

Higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics and their use in detection of Hong and Mandel squeezing and amplitude-squared squeezing

We study higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics conditions for non-classicality in the form of general inequalities for expectation values of products of arbitrary powers of photon number and of photon-number fluctuation. We discuss their use for the detection of (i) Hong and Mandel's squeezing of arbitrary order and (ii) amplitude-squared squeezing. Also, we discuss examples of states that exhibit some higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics but not others.

Higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics of light

The higher order Q-parameter, Q ( N) , N=1,2,3,…, is introduced to generalize the sub-Poissonian photon statistics of light into higher order. By the definition, Q (1) is identical to the well-known Mandel's Q-parameter. We show that Q ( N) s are −1 for the number state and 0 for the coherent state for all N. For the thermal light, however, Q ( N) s depend upon the average photon number. We discussed the characteristics of the higher order Q-parameter in particular examples where the light fields have higher order ( N⩾2) sub-Poissonian photon statistics but not the ordinary ( N=1) sub-Poissonian photon statistics. It is also shown that the nonclassical measure of the higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics of the number state are 1/2 as same as that of the known lowest order. It means that a superposition with thermal noise with the average photon number 1/2 remove the higher order sub-Poissonian photon statistics from the number state.

Higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics in terms of factorial moments

We introduce the concept of higher-order super-Poissonian and sub-Poissonian statistics and show that higher-order sub-Poissonian statistics is a signature of a nonclassical field. Fields generated in intracavity second-harmonic generation and single-atom resonance fluorescence are shown to exhibit higher-order sub-Poissonian statistics.