Bridging Coherence Optics and Classical Mechanics -- A Universal Light Polarization-Entanglement Complementary Relation

TL;DR

This paper establishes a universal relation linking optical coherence properties, such as polarization and entanglement, with classical mechanics concepts like center of mass and moment of inertia, bridging the two fields through Huygens' theories.

Contribution

It introduces a universal complementary relation connecting coherence optics and classical mechanics, revealing their quantitative association via Huygens' principles.

Findings

Derived a universal identity relation for polarization and entanglement.

Linked optical coherence properties to mechanical concepts like center of mass.

Bridged coherence wave optics and classical mechanics through Huygens' theories.

Abstract

While optics and mechanics are two distinct branches of physics, they are connected. It is well known that geometrical/ray treatment of light has direct analogies to mechanical descriptions of particle motion. However, connections between coherence wave optics and classical mechanics are rarely reported. Here we explore links of the two for an arbitrary light field by performing a quantitative analysis of two optical coherence properties: polarization and entanglement (implied by a wave picture of light due to Huygens and Fresnel). A universal complementary identity relation is obtained. More surprisingly, optical polarization, entanglement, and their identity relation are shown to be quantitatively associated with mechanical concepts of center of mass and moment of inertia through the Huygens-Steiner theorem for rigid body rotation. The obtained result bridges coherence wave optics and classical mechanics through the two theories of Huygens.