Undergraduate quantum optics: experimental steps to quantum physics. (4th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scholz, Ruediger; Friege, Gunnar; Weber, Kim-Alessandro
• Is Part Of: European journal of physics. Volume 39:Number 5(2018:Sep.)
• Publication Date: 2018-06-04
• Subjects: optics -- statistical optics -- quantum optics -- undergraduate experiments -- second-order correlation -- coincidence measurement -- single-photon experiments; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Europe -- Periodicals; 530
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6404/aac355
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-0807

Abstract

Abstract: We report on a step-by-step-series of experiments from statistical optics with classical light to undergraduate quantum optics with single-photon states, particularly suitable to paving an introductory way to quantum phenomena. We build up a progressive process analysing temporal variations of the irradiance of light discerned by measuring the value of the non-delayed second-order correlation function g (2) ( τ = 0). We demonstrate how Poisson distributed photoelectron counts from constant irradiance ( g (2) (0) = 1) can be used to calibrate the apparatus. Measurements with harmonically modulated irradiance of Poissonian light give an introduction to g (2) (0) correlation analysis. After these introductory steps, we demonstrate photon bunching with (pseudo-) thermal light ( g (2) (0) ≈ 2), and finally show quantum antibunching of photons in Fock states ( g (2) (0) ≈ 0). All measurements are in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions.