Subtracting photons from arbitrary light fields: Experimental test of coherent state invariance by single-photon annihilation

Year: 2008

Authors: Zavatta A., Parigi V., Kim M. S., Bellini M.

Autors Affiliation: CNR – Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo E. Fermi, 6, I-50125, Florence, Italy; Department of Physics, University of Florence, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; LENS, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen’s University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Antrim, North Ireland

Abstract: The operator annihilating a single quantum of excitation in a bosonic field is one of the cornerstones for the interpretation and prediction of the behavior of the microscopic quantum world. Here we present a systematic experimental study of the effects of single-photon annihilation on some paradigmatic light states. In particular, by demonstrating the invariance of coherent states by this operation, we provide the first direct verification of their definition as eigenstates of the photon annihilation operator.

Journal/Review: NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS

Volume: 10      Pages from: 123006-1  to: 123006-10

More Information: This work was partially supported by Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, and by the MIUR-PRIN and CNR-RSTL initiatives. MSK thanks J Lee for discussions and acknowledges EPSRC and QIP IRC for their financial support.
KeyWords: Coherent light; Control theory; Light; Particle beams, Annihilation operators; Bosonic fields; Coherent state; Eigenstates; Experimental studies; Experimental tests; Light fields; Quantum worlds; Single quantum; Single-photon annihilations, Photons
DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/10/12/123006

Citations: 72
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