Quantum-Optical Catalysis: Generating Nonclassical States of Light by Means of Linear Optics
Year: 2002
Type: article
Abstract: We report preparation and characterization of coherent superposition states t[0>+alpha]1> of the electromagnetic field by conditional measurements on a beam splitter. This state is generated in one of the beam splitter output channels if a coherent state [alpha> and a single-photon Fock state [1> are present in the two input ports and a single photon is registered in the other beam splitter output. The single photon thus plays a role of a "catalyst:" it is explicitly present in both the input and the output channels of the interaction yet facilitates generation of a nonclassical state of light.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Authors: A. I. Lvovsky, J. Mlynek
Institutions: University of Konstanz, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1566614093