In the last 30 days

• Open/close A quantum description of the beam splitter

  A Luis and L L Sanchez-Soto 1995 Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 7 153 Tag this article

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  The unitary operator representing the action of a linear lossless passive beam splitter is presented. The derivation is based on an elementary group-theoretical approach that allows us to understand this action in terms of the Stokes operators for the incident beam. This operator is used to illustrate with some examples the coupling of noise in the beam splitter.

• Open/close Semiconductor lasers with optical injection and feedback

  G H M van Tartwijk and D Lenstra 1995 Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 7 87 Tag this article

  Article References Full text PDF (2.55 MB)

  In this review we discuss the theoretical framework needed for studying the dynamical behaviour of semiconductor lasers exposed to three kinds of optical modulation. We start by a derivation of the single-mode rate-equations for the slowly varying complex electric field and the inversion, and the necessary extensions for monochromatic optical injection and normal external optical feedback. The basic operating characteristics of the solitary semiconductor laser are analysed, including light-current curves and their dependence on the spontaneous emission level, as well as the optical spectrum. The effect of monochromatic injection is discussed in terms of locking and non-locking dynamics, including a thermodynamic potential for phase jumps. The basic ingredients for studying external optical feedback are given, including a derivation of the thermodynamic potential for phase-diffusion. After an introduction on optical phase conjugation, the field rate-equation for feedback from a phase-conjugate mirror is derived.

• Open/close Pendellösung oscillations in second-order Bragg scattering of atoms from a standing light wave

  Stephan Dürr et al 1996 Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 8 531 Tag this article

  Article References Full text PDF (108 KB)

  Bragg scattering of atoms from a standing light wave exhibits Pendellösung oscillations in the scattering probability. For second-order scattering, we have recently observed significant deviation of the oscillation frequency from the prediction for a pure four-photon-type process. To give a quantitative explanation for this behaviour, we present an analytical calculation which takes into account lowest energy momentum states. Our calculation suggests that a transition between a four-photon-type process at low light intensity to a two-photon-type process at higher light intensity is responsible for this behaviour.

• Open/close Monte Carlo wavefunctions in quantum optics

  Klaus Mølmer and Yvan Castin 1996 Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 8 49 Tag this article

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  In this paper we present a review of the Monte Carlo wavefunction method. We discuss some aspects of its application in numerical simulations, and we comment on some of its relations to the foundations of quantum physics. Finally, we investigate the generalization to problems that have so far not been considered tractable by this method - in particular, nonlinear master equations may become relevant, and we discuss the application of Monte Carlo wavefunctions to such problems.