20,780 research outputs found
Application of the Wigner distribution function in optics
This contribution presents a review of the Wigner distribution function and of some of its applications to optical problems. The Wigner distribution function describes a signal in space and (spatial) frequency simultaneously and can be considered as the local frequency spectrum of the signal. Although derived in terms of Fourier optics, the description of a signal by means of its Wigner distribution function closely resembles the ray concept in geometrical optics. It thus presents a link between Fourier optics and geometrical optics. The concept of the Wigner distribution function is not restricted to deterministic signals; it can be applied to stochastic signals, as well, thus presenting a link between partial coherence and radiometry. Some interesting properties of partially coherent light can thus be derived easily by means of the Wigner distribution function. Properties of the Wigner distribution function, for deterministic as well as for stochastic signals (i.e., for completely coherent as well as for partially coherent light, respectively), and its propagation through linear systems are considered; the corresponding description of signals and systems can directly be interpreted in geometric-optical terms. Some examples are included to show how the Wigner distribution function can be applied to problems that arise in the field of optics
Direct Measurement of Kirkwood-Rihaczek distribution for spatial properties of coherent light beam
We present direct measurement of Kirkwood-Rihaczek (KR) distribution for
spatial properties of coherent light beam in terms of position and momentum
(angle) coordinates. We employ a two-local oscillator (LO) balanced heterodyne
detection (BHD) to simultaneously extract distribution of transverse position
and momentum of a light beam. The two-LO BHD could measure KR distribution for
any complex wave field (including quantum mechanical wave function) without
applying tomography methods (inverse Radon transformation). Transformation of
KR distribution to Wigner, Glauber Sudarshan P- and Husimi or Q- distributions
in spatial coordinates are illustrated through experimental data. The direct
measurement of KR distribution could provide local information of wave field,
which is suitable for studying particle properties of a quantum system. While
Wigner function is suitable for studying wave properties such as interference,
and hence provides nonlocal information of the wave field. The method developed
here can be used for exploring spatial quantum state for quantum mapping and
computing, optical phase space imaging for biomedical applications.Comment: 27 pages, 14 figure
Optical Phase-Space-Time-Frequency Tomography
We present a new approach for constructing optical phase-space-time-frequency
tomography (OPSTFT) of an optical wave field. This tomography can be measured
by using a novel four-window optical imaging system based on two local
oscillator fields balanced heterodyne detection. The OPSTFT is a Wigner
distribution function of two independent Fourier Transform pairs, i.e.,
phase-space and time-frequency. From its theoretical and experimental aspects,
it can provide information of position, momentum, time and frequency of a
spatial light field with precision beyond the uncertainty principle. We
simulate the OPSTFT for a light field obscured by a wire and a single-line
absorption filter. We believe that the four-window system can provide spatial
and temporal properties of a wave field for quantum image processing and
biophotonics.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure
Macroscopic quantum fluctuations in noise-sustained optical patterns
We investigate quantum effects in pattern formation for a degenerate optical parametric oscillator with walk-off. This device has a convective regime in which macroscopic patterns are both initiated and sustained by quantum noise. Familiar methods based on linearization about a pseudoclassical field fail in this regime and new approaches are required. We employ a method in which the pump field is treated as a c-number variable but is driven by the c-number representation of the quantum subharmonic signal field. This allows us to include the effects of the fluctuations in the signal on the pump, which in turn act back on the signal. We find that the nonclassical effects, in the form of squeezing, survive just above the threshold of the convective regime. Further, above threshold, the macroscopic quantum noise suppresses these effects
Tomograms and other transforms. A unified view
A general framework is presented which unifies the treatment of wavelet-like,
quasidistribution, and tomographic transforms. Explicit formulas relating the
three types of transforms are obtained. The case of transforms associated to
the symplectic and affine groups is treated in some detail. Special emphasis is
given to the properties of the scale-time and scale-frequency tomograms.
Tomograms are interpreted as a tool to sample the signal space by a family of
curves or as the matrix element of a projector.Comment: 19 pages latex, submitted to J. Phys. A: Math and Ge
Sensitivity and stability: A signal propagation sweet spot in a sheet of recurrent centre crossing neurons
In this paper we demonstrate that signal propagation across a laminar sheet of recurrent neurons is maximised when two conditions are met. First, neurons must be in the so-called centre crossing configuration. Second, the network’s topology and weights must be such that the network comprises strongly coupled nodes, yet lies within the weakly coupled regime. We develop tools from linear stability analysis with which to describe this regime, and use them to examine the apparent tension between the sensitivity and instability of centre crossing networks
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