Degree of Polarization in Quantum Optics through second generalization of Intensity

Ravi S. Singh, Hari Prakash

Published 2013-01-16Version 1

Classical definition of degree of polarization is expressed in quantum domain by replacing intensities through quantum mechanical average values of relevant number operators and is viewed as first generalization of Intensity. This definition assigns inaccurately the unpolarized status to some typical optical fields such as amplitude coherent phase randomized and hidden polarized, which are not truly unpolarized light. The apparent paradoxical trait is circumvented by proposing a new definition of degree of polarization in Quantum Optics through second generalization of Intensity. The correspondence of new degree of polarization to usual degree of polarization in Quantum Optics is established. It is seen that the two definitions disagree significantly for intense optical fields but coincides for weak light (thermal light) or for optical fields in which occupancy of photons in orthogonal mode is very feeble. Our proposed definition of degree of polarization, similar to other proposals in literature, reveals an interesting feature that states of polarization of optical quantum fields depend upon the average photons (intensity) present therein.