Coherent perfect absorption of quantum light

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive quantum theory of coherent perfect absorption (CPA) for various quantum states of light, revealing new regimes and fundamental insights into quantum light dissipation.

Contribution

It introduces a unified quantum framework for CPA, encompassing multiple quantum states and regimes, advancing understanding of quantum light absorption phenomena.

Findings

Unified quantum CPA theory for various quantum states.

Identification of new CPA regimes including NOON and Schrödinger cat states.

Insights into quantum light dissipation and potential quantum information applications.

Abstract

Coherent perfect absorption (CPA) was introduced as a classical optics phenomenon of a standing-wave absorption by a subwavelength film. In this paper, we develop a theory of CPA of quantized standing waves taking account of a subwavelength thickness of the absorber. This approach allows us to merge all known quantum effects of CPA under a single theory and introduce other regimes of CPA including CPA of NOON states with arbitrary number of entangled photons, orthogonally squeezed vacuum states, continuous variable entangled states, and Schr\"odinger cat states. Detailed analysis of the quantum regime of CPA sheds light on fundamental aspects of quantum light dissipation and its practical implementation in quantum optics and quantum information.