Classical Petermann Factor as a Measure of Quantum Squeezing in Photonic Time Crystals

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the classical Petermann factor in photonic time crystals predicts quantum noise and squeezing, linking classical mode nonorthogonality to quantum resource engineering.

Contribution

It introduces the Petermann factor of the Floquet BdG matrix as a measure of quantum squeezing in photonic time crystals, bridging classical and quantum descriptions.

Findings

Petermann factor predicts quantum noise levels.

Mode nonorthogonality correlates with squeezing dynamics.

Floquet growth rate determines photon generation time scale.

Abstract

Photonic time crystals realize a continuum of momentum-resolved SU(1,1) parametric amplifiers. We show that a classical quantity, the Petermann factor of the effective Floquet Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) dynamical matrix, sets the scale of their quantum noise. In stable bands it fixes the Bogoliubov mixing and the vacuum quasiparticle population, while in momentum gaps it sets the photon-number prefactor and enhances the squeezing dynamics, with the Floquet growth rate setting the time scale. This converts classical measurements of mode nonorthogonality into quantitative predictions for squeezing and photon generation, and offers a compact design parameter for engineering quantum resources in two-mode BdG platforms.