Exploring Photon States: Questions and Answers

In summary, the conversation discusses the polarization state of a photon and how it can be described using a column vector. It is noted that the x and y directions are meaningless without a polarizer, and the need to reconcile classical and quantum descriptions of polarization is mentioned. A resource is also provided for further information.
  • #1
suma
14
0
I have few questions to ask:

1. Can a photon state be written as
|ψ> = [cos(θ) sin(θ) exp(i*ø)] in column vector form

2. When a general photon state|ψ> = [cos(θ) sin(θ) exp(i*ø)] passes through a linear polarizer [1 0; 0 0] we get [cos(θ) 0] at the output but not [1 0] as is usually found in textbook

thanks
 
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  • #2
Presumably you mean to describe only the polarization state of the photon.
You should realize that x and y directions are meaningless without a polarizer.
You appear to be trying to resolve the classical and quantum descriptions of polarization - this should be done via the correspondence principle.

See:
http://mathpages.com/rr/s9-04/9-04.htm
... you need to scroll right down to the bottom to get to the QM version of linear and circularly polarized light.
 

1. What is a photon state?

A photon state is a quantum state that describes the properties of a single photon, such as its energy, momentum, polarization, and direction of motion.

2. How can we explore photon states?

There are various experimental techniques that can be used to explore photon states, such as photon counting, interferometry, and spectroscopy.

3. What is the relationship between photon states and light waves?

Photon states are the quantum description of light waves. Each photon state represents a single quantum of light, which behaves both as a particle and a wave.

4. Can photon states be entangled?

Yes, photon states can be entangled, meaning that the properties of multiple photons can become correlated even when they are physically separated. This phenomenon has potential applications in quantum communication and computing.

5. What is the significance of exploring photon states?

Exploring photon states allows us to better understand the fundamental nature of light and its behavior at the quantum level. It also has practical applications in fields such as telecommunications, imaging, and sensing.

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