Scheme to Measure Quantum Stokes Parameters and their Fluctuations and Correlations

We propose a scheme to measure quantum Stokes parameters, their fluctuations and correlations. The proposal involves measurements of intensities and intensity- intensity correlations for suitably defined modes, which can be produced by a combination of half wave and quarter wave plates.Comment: Submitted to the Journal of Modern Optic

Recursive parametrization of Quark flavour mixing matrices

We examine quark flavour mixing matrices for three and four generations using the recursive parametrization of $U(n)$ and $SU(n)$ matrices developed by some of us in Refs.[2] and [3]. After a brief summary of the recursive parametrization, we obtain expressions for the independent rephasing invariants and also the constraints on them that arise from the requirement of mod symmetry of the flavour mixing matrix

Wigner distributions for finite dimensional quantum systems: An algebraic approach

We discuss questions pertaining to the definition of `momentum', `momentum space', `phase space', and `Wigner distributions'; for finite dimensional quantum systems. For such systems, where traditional concepts of `momenta' established for continuum situations offer little help, we propose a physically reasonable and mathematically tangible definition and use it for the purpose of setting up Wigner distributions in a purely algebraic manner. It is found that the point of view adopted here is limited to odd dimensional systems only. The mathematical reasons which force this situation are examined in detail.Comment: Latex, 13 page

Phase-space descriptions of operators and the Wigner distribution in quantum mechanics II. The finite dimensional case

A complete solution to the problem of setting up Wigner distribution for N-level quantum systems is presented. The scheme makes use of some of the ideas introduced by Dirac in the course of defining functions of noncommuting observables and works uniformly for all N. Further, the construction developed here has the virtue of being essentially input-free in that it merely requires finding a square root of a certain N^2 x N^2 complex symmetric matrix, a task which, as is shown, can always be accomplished analytically. As an illustration, the case of a single qubit is considered in some detail and it is shown that one recovers the result of Feynman and Wootters for this case without recourse to any auxiliary constructs.Comment: 14 pages, typos corrected, para and references added in introduction, submitted to Jour. Phys.

Wigner-Weyl isomorphism for quantum mechanics on Lie groups

The Wigner-Weyl isomorphism for quantum mechanics on a compact simple Lie group $G$ is developed in detail. Several New features are shown to arise which have no counterparts in the familiar Cartesian case. Notable among these is the notion of a `semiquantised phase space', a structure on which the Weyl symbols of operators turn out to be naturally defined and, figuratively speaking, located midway between the classical phase space $T^*G$ and the Hilbert space of square integrable functions on $G$. General expressions for the star product for Weyl symbols are presented and explicitly worked out for the angle-angular momentum case.Comment: 32 pages, Latex2

Quantum phase space distributions in thermofield dynamics

It is shown that the the quantum phase space distributions corresponding to a density operator $\rho$ can be expressed, in thermofield dynamics, as overlaps between the state $\mid \rho >$ and "thermal" coherent states. The usefulness of this approach is brought out in the context of a master equation describing a nonlinear oscillator for which exact expressions for the quantum phase distributions for an arbitrary initial condition are derived.Comment: 17 pages, revtex, no figures. number of pages were incorrectly stated as 3 instead of 17. No other correction