Date of Graduation
5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Physics
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Physics
Advisor/Mentor
Vyas, Reeta
Committee Member/Reader
Kennefick, Julia
Committee Member/Second Reader
Van Horn-Morris, Jeremy
Committee Member/Third Reader
Chen, Jingyi
Abstract
Nonclassical states of light are characterized by properties which can be explained by the quantum model of light but not the classical model. Such nonclassical properties may be revealed through photon counting statistics. In our research, we have examined the properties for several variations of the superposed state of light. These variations include a superposition of coherent states with evenly distributed phases (GSC state) and a superposition of squeezed vacuum states with evenly distributed phases, with particular attention given to superpositions of two coherent states (cat states). First, we calculate the photon number distribution for each of these states, and then we calculate the unconditional and conditional waiting-time distributions in the short-time limit. Signatures of non-classicality, such as photon antibunching, can be seen in the conditional waiting-time distribution. Our results reveal that the odd cat state and the GSC state show antibunching in the conditional waiting-time distribution, but the even cat state and the superposed squeezed vacuum state do not. This research contributes to an understanding of where the quantum signatures of light can be observed.
Keywords
Quantum optics; Superposed states; Nonclassical light; Coherent state; Squeezed state; Antibunching
Citation
Seglem, E. (2024). Photon Number and Waiting-time Distributions for Superposed Light States. Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/physuht/19
