Quantum-like nonseparable structures in optical beams

Aiello A, Töppel F, Marquardt C, Giacobino E, Leuchs G (2015)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2015

Journal

New Journal of Physics Institute of Physics: Open Access Journals / Institute of Physics (IoP) and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft

Book Volume: 17

Article Number: 043024

DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/17/4/043024

Abstract

When two or more degrees of freedom become coupled in a physical system, a number of observables of the latter cannot be represented by mathematical expressions separable with respect to the different degrees of freedom. In recent years it appeared clear that these expressions may display the same mathematical structures exhibited by multiparty entangled states in quantum mechanics. In this work, we investigate the occurrence of such structures in optical beams, a phenomenon that is often referred to as 'classical entanglement'. We present a unified theory for different kinds of light beams exhibiting classical entanglement and we indicate several possible extensions of the concept. Our results clarify and shed new light upon the physics underlying this intriguing aspect of classical optics.

Authors with CRIS profile

Andrea Aiello
Falk Töppel Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik Christoph Marquardt Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik Gerhard Leuchs Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik

Involved external institutions

Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light

Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Aiello, A., Töppel, F., Marquardt, C., Giacobino, E., & Leuchs, G. (2015). Quantum-like nonseparable structures in optical beams. New Journal of Physics, 17. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/4/043024

MLA:

Aiello, Andrea, et al. "Quantum-like nonseparable structures in optical beams." New Journal of Physics 17 (2015).

BibTeX: Download