Picture Invariance in Quantum Optics

W. -Y. Hwang

Published 2005-03-10, updated 2008-08-12Version 5

We clarify the controversy over the coherent-state (CS) versus the number-state (NS) pictures in quantum optics. The NS picture is equivalent to the CS picture, as long as the phases $\phi$ in the laser fields are randomly distributed, as M{\o}lmer argues [\pra {\bf 55}, 3195 (1997)]. However, the claim by Rudolph and Sanders [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 87}, 077903 (2001)] has a few gaps. First, they make an assumption that is not necessarily true in the calculation of a density operator involved with a two-mode squeezed state. We show that there exists entanglement in the density operator without defying the assumption that phases are randomly distributed. Moreover, using a concept of picture-invariance, we argue that it is not that criteria for quantum teleportation are not satisfied. We discuss an analogy between the controversy on the CS versus NS pictures to that on the heliocentric versus geocentric pictures.