Quantum polarization characterization and tomography

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive method for quantum polarization characterization and tomography of two-mode states, including measurement procedures and analysis of common quantum states, enhancing quantum optics measurement techniques.

Contribution

It provides a systematic measurement procedure for complete quantum polarization characterization and analyzes limited scenarios where only photon-number difference is accessible.

Findings

Complete polarization characterization method for two-mode quantum states.

Explicit Stokes moment profiles for common quantum states.

Analysis of limited measurement scenarios with partial polarization information.

Abstract

We present a complete polarization characterization of any quantum state of two orthogonal polarization modes, and give a systematic measurement procedure to collect the necessary data. Full characterization requires measurements of the photon number in both modes and linear optics. In the situation where only the photon-number difference can be determined, a limited but useful characterization is obtained. The characteristic Stokes moment profiles are given for several common quantum states.