Squeezed states of light and their applications in laser interferometers

TL;DR

Squeezed states of light, which reduce quantum noise, have been experimentally realized and are now used to enhance the sensitivity of laser interferometers like GEO600 for gravitational wave detection.

Contribution

This review summarizes experimental observations of squeezed states and their application in improving laser interferometer sensitivity beyond quantum noise limits.

Findings

Squeezed states exhibit reduced uncertainty in one quadrature.

Application of squeezed light improved GEO600's measurement sensitivity.

Squeezed states are crucial for advancing gravitational-wave astronomy.

Abstract

According to quantum theory the interactions between physical systems are quantized. As a direct consequence, measurement sensitivities are fundamentally limited by quantization noise, or just `quantum noise' in short. Furthermore, Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle demands measurement back-action for some observables of a system if they are measured repeatedly. In both respects, squeezed states are of high interest since they show a `squeezed' uncertainty, which can be used to improve the sensitivity of measurement devices beyond the usual quantum noise limits including those impacted by quantum back-action noise. Squeezed states of light can be produced with nonlinear optics, and a large variety of proof-of-principle experiments were performed in past decades. As an actual application, squeezed light has now been used for several years to improve the measurement sensitivity of GEO600 -- a laser interferometer built for the detection of gravitational waves. Given this success, squeezed light is likely to significantly contribute to the new field of gravitational-wave astronomy. This Review revisits the concept of squeezed states and two-mode squeezed states of light, with a focus on experimental observations. The distinct properties of squeezed states displayed in quadrature phase-space as well as in the photon number representation are described. The role of the light's quantum noise in laser interferometers is summarized and the actual application of squeezed states in these measurement devices is reviewed.