Quantum Optics and Fundamentals of Physics: 63 (Fundamental Theories of Physics, 63) - Hardcover

Perina, Jan; Hradil, Z.; Jurco, B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0792330005 ISBN 13: 9780792330004

Publisher: Springer, 1994

Synopsis

In last years increasing attention has been again devoted to interpretations of quantum theory. In the same time interesting quantum optical experiments have been performed using nonlinear optical processes, in particular frequency down conversion, which provided new information about nature of a photon on the basis of interference and correlation (coincidence) phenomena. Such single-photon and twin-photon effects of quantum optics provide new point of view of interpretations of quantum theory and new tests of its principles. The purpose of this book is to discuss these questions. To follow this goal we give brief reviews of principles of quantum theory and of quantum theory of measurement. As a fundamental theoretical tool the coherent state technique is adopted based on a general algebraic treatment, including the de­ scription of interaction of radiation and matter. Typical quantum behaviour of physical systems is exhibited by nonclassical optical phenomena, which can be examined using photon interferences and correlations. These phenomena are closely related to violation of various classical inequalities and Bell's in­ equalities. The most important part of this book discusses quantum optical experiments supporting quantum theory. This book may be considered as a continuation of previous monographs by one of the authors on Coherence of Light (Van Nostrand Reinhold, London 1972, second edition D. Reidel, Dordrecht 1985) and on Quantum Statistics of Linear and Nonlinear Optical Phenomena (D. Reidel, Dordrecht 1984, second edition Kluwer, Dordrecht 1991), which may serve as a preparation for reading this book.

About this title

Synopsis

This book deals with the contemporary development of quantum theory from the point of view of quantum optics. The fundamentals of quantum theory are presented, with particular attention being given to the quantum theory of measurement. General coherent states are adopted as the most important theoretical tool for the description of the interaction of optical fields with matter. Quantum theory predicts various nonclassical phenomena, such as squeezing of vacuum fluctuations, photon antibunching, sub-Poisson photon statistics, collapses and revivals of atomic motion. These quantum effects can be observed, together with violation of various classical and Bell's inequalities, using photon interference and correlation techniques.This is demonstrated by experiments involving single-photon and two-photon interferences, squeezed and sub-Poisson light and twin photons produced by frequency down conversion. All these results are in agreement with quantum theory and they confirm the wave - particle duality of a photon and the 'nonlocal' features of quantum theory.

This book is for research workers in quantum mechanics, quantum theory, quantum optics and electronics, optical communications, optoelectronics, photonics and nonlinear optics, optical processing and computing.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0792330005
• ISBN 13: 9780792330004
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 353