Experimental demonstration of the bosonic commutation relation via superpositions of quantum operations on thermal light fields

Year: 2009

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

Autors Affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata (INOA-CNR), L.go E. Fermi 6, 50125 Florence, Italy; LENS and Department of Physics, University of Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; School of Mathematics and Physics, The Queen’s University, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom; Center for Subwavelength Optics and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, South Korea

Abstract: We present the experimental realization of a scheme, based on single-photon interference, for implementing superpositions of distinct quantum operations. Its application to a thermal light field (a well-categorized classical entity) illustrates quantum superposition from a new standpoint and provides a direct and quantitative verification of the bosonic commutation relation between creation and annihilation operators. By shifting the focus towards operator superpositions, this result opens interesting alternative perspectives for manipulating quantum states.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

Volume: 103 (14)      Pages from: 140406  to: 140406

More Information: Work performed in the frame of the \”Spettroscopia laser e ottica quantistica\” project of the Department of Physics of the University of Florence, with the support of Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and CNR-RSTL. M. S. K. acknowledges U. K. EPSRC and QIP IRC at Oxford for financial support. H. J. was supported by the WCU program and the KOSEF grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (R11-2008-095-01000-0).
KeyWords: A-thermal; Commutation relation; Creation and annihilation; Quantitative verification; Quantum operations; Quantum state; Quantum superpositions; Single-photon interference; Thermal light, Quantum theory
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.140406

Citations: 120
data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-11-17
References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)
Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click here
Connecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here