Experimental generation of optical "Schrödinger cats" from photon number states

Alexei Ourjoumtsev; Hyunseok Jeong; Rosa Tualle-Brouri; Philippe Grangier

doi:10.1117/12.736622

10 September 2007 Experimental generation of optical "Schrödinger cats" from photon number states

Alexei Ourjoumtsev, Hyunseok Jeong, Rosa Tualle-Brouri, Philippe Grangier

Proceedings Volume 6780, Quantum Communications Realized; 678010 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.736622
Event: Optics East, 2007, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

A "Schrödinger cat" state of free-propagating light can be defined as a quantum superposition of well separated coherent states. 1, 2 We demonstrated, theoretically and experimentally, a protocol which allows to generate arbitrarily large squeezed Schrödinger cat states, using a homodyne detection and photon number states as resources. We implemented this protocol experimentally with light pulses containing two photons, producing a squeezed Schrödinger cat state with a negative Wigner function. This state clearly presents several quantum phase-space interference fringes between the "dead" and "alive" components, and it is large enough to become useful for experimental tests of quantum theory and quantum information processing.

Citation Download Citation

Alexei Ourjoumtsev, Hyunseok Jeong, Rosa Tualle-Brouri, and Philippe Grangier "Experimental generation of optical "Schrödinger cats" from photon number states", Proc. SPIE 6780, Quantum Communications Realized, 678010 (10 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.736622

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available