Reply on the ``Comment on `Loss-error compensation in quantum- state measurements' ''

The authors of the Comment [G. M. D'Ariano and C. Macchiavello to be published in Phys. Rev. A, quant-ph/9701009] tried to reestablish a 0.5 efficiency bound for loss compensation in optical homodyne tomography. In our reply we demonstrate that neither does such a rigorous bound exist nor is the bound required for ruling out the state reconstruction of an individual system [G. M. D'Ariano and H. P. Yuen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 2832 (1996)].Comment: LaTex, 2 pages, 1 Figure; to be published in Physical Review

No quantum friction between uniformly moving plates

The Casimir forces between two plates moving parallel to each other are found by calculating the vacuum electromagnetic stress tensor. The perpendicular force between the plates is modified by the motion but there is no lateral force on the plates. Electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations do not therefore give rise to "quantum friction" in this case, contrary to previous assertions. The result shows that the Casimir-Polder force on a particle moving at constant speed parallel to a plate also has no lateral component.Comment: 17 pages. Final, published versio

Quantum Markov Process on a Lattice

We develop a systematic description of Weyl and Fano operators on a lattice phase space. Introducing the so-called ghost variable even on an odd lattice, odd and even lattices can be treated in a symmetric way. The Wigner function is defined using these operators on the quantum phase space, which can be interpreted as a spin phase space. If we extend the space with a dichotomic variable, a positive distribution function can be defined on the new space. It is shown that there exits a quantum Markov process on the extended space which describes the time evolution of the distribution function.Comment: Lattice2003(theory

Reply to the ``Comment on `quantum backaction of optical observations on Bose-Einstein condensates' ''

In our paper we estimated the quantum backaction of dispersive imaging with off-resonant light on Bose-Einstein condensates. We have calculated the rates of the two processes involved, phase diffusion and depletion of the condensate. We compare here the depletion rate obtained within our model limitations to the Rayleigh scattering rate, both having the same physical origin: dispersive interaction of light with matter. We show that residual absorption sets indeed the limit of dispersive imaging.Comment: 1 page (Reply to comment

Quantum back-action of optical observations on Bose condensates

Impressive pictures of moving Bose-Einstein condensates have been taken using phase-contrast imaging M. R. Andrews et al., Science 273, 84 (1996). We calculate the quantum backaction of this measurement technique. We find that phase-contrast imaging is not a quantum nondemolition measurement of the atomic density. Instead, the condensate gets gradually depleted at a rate that is proportional to the light intensity and to the inverse cube of the optical wave length. The fewer atoms are condensed the higher is the required intensity to see a picture, and, consequently, the higher is the induced backaction. To describe the quantum physics of phase-contrast imaging we put forward a new approach to quantum-optical propagation. We develop an effective field theory of paraxial optics in a fully quantized atomic medium.Comment: 11 pages RevTex, 2 ps figures, revised. European Physical Journal D (in press

Theory of elementary excitations in unstable Bose-Einstein condensates

Like classical fluids, quantum gases may suffer from hydrodynamic instabilities. Our paper develops a quantum version of the classical stability analysis in fluids, the Bogoliubov theory of elementary excitations in unstable Bose-Einstein condensates. In unstable condensates the excitation modes have complex frequencies. We derive the normalization conditions for unstable modes such that they can serve in a mode decomposition of the noncondensed component. Furthermore, we develop approximative techniques to determine the spectrum and the mode functions. Finally, we apply our theory to sonic horizons - sonic black and white holes. For sonic white holes the spectrum of unstable modes turns out to be intrinsically discrete, whereas black holes may be stable

Superantenna made of transformation media

We show how transformation media can make a superantenna that is either completely invisible or focuses incoming light into a needle-sharp beam. Our idea is based on representating three-dimensional space as a foliage of sheets and performing two-dimensional conformal maps on each shee