Discorrelated quantum states

TL;DR

This paper introduces the concept of discorrelation in quantum states, where measurement outcomes are mutually exclusive, and demonstrates how to construct such states using common quantum optics components, analyzing their properties and entanglement.

Contribution

The paper defines discorrelation in quantum states, provides methods to construct such states with standard quantum optics tools, and explores their entanglement and loss sensitivity.

Findings

Discorrelated states exhibit zero probability for certain measurement outcomes.

Discorrelated states are shown to be entangled.

Discorrelated states' properties are sensitive to optical loss.

Abstract

The statistical properties of photons are fundamental to investigating quantum mechanical phenomena using light. In multi-photon, two-mode systems, correlations may exist between outcomes of measurements made on each mode which exhibit useful properties. Correlation in this sense can be thought of as increasing the probability of a particular outcome of a measurement on one subsystem given a measurement on a correlated subsystem. Here, we show a statistical property we call "discorrelation," in which the probability of a particular outcome of one subsystem is reduced to zero, given a measurement on a discorrelated subsystem. We show how such a state can be constructed using readily available building blocks of quantum optics, namely coherent states, single photons, beam splitters and projective measurement. We present a variety of discorrelated states, show that they are entangled, and study their sensitivity to loss.