Assessing the Polarization of a Quantum Field from Stokes Fluctuations

• We propose an operational degree of polarization in terms of the variance of the Stokes vector minimized over all the directions of the Poincare sphere. We examine the properties of this second-order definition and carry out its experimental determination. Quantum states with the same standard (first-order) degree of polarization are correctly discriminated by this new measure. We argue that a comprehensive quantum characterization of polarization properties requires a whole hierarchy of higher-order degrees.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Degree of polarization

Experimental determination

First-order

Higher order

Poincare

Polarization properties

Quantum field

Quantum state

Second orders

Stokes vector

Spheres

Physics

Fysik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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