A Stokes-Parameter Technique for the Treatment of Polarization in Quantum Mechanics
Abstract
A technique is presented which adapts the Stokes method to quantum mechanics and serves to calculate polarization effects by means of Pauli matrices. Illustrative examples indicate that this technique may be not only convenient mathematically but also physically more transparent than previous methods.
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In the Jones and Stokes-Mueller calculi, the description of classical polarization of light is formally identical to the quantum description of pure and mixed states of two-level systems, respectively.
“In these calculi, the description of classical polarization of light is formally identical to the quantum description of pure and mixed states of two-level systems, respectively ͓22͔.”
From Linear optics and quantum maps (2007) · cites this paper as [22]
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Description of States in Quantum Mechanics by Density Matrix and Operator Techniques
Fano, U. (1957) · Reviews of Modern Physics · doi:10.1103/revmodphys.29.74 · Cited by 1,975 · see citing works
Self-citationCoherence properties of partially polarized electromagnetic radiation
Wolf, E. (1959) · Il Nuovo Cimento · doi:10.1007/bf02725127 · Cited by 305 · see citing works
Gil, J. J. (2007) · The European Physical Journal Applied Physics · doi:10.1051/epjap:2007153 · Cited by 272 · see citing works
Invariant indices of polarimetric purity
San José, I., & Gil, J. J. (2011) · Optics Communications · doi:10.1016/j.optcom.2010.08.077 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Linear optics and quantum maps
Aiello, A., Puentes, G., & Woerdman, J. P. (2007) · Physical Review A · doi:10.1103/physreva.76.032323 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
- Authors
- Fano, U.
- Affiliations
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fano, U.
- Venue
- Physical Review
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 1954-01-01
- Volume
- 93
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 121-123
- ISSN
- 0031-899X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2022388573
- Cited by
- 164
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 10.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physical Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Optical Polarization and Ellipsometry
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum Mechanics and Applications
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
- Keywords
- Stokes parameters, polarization, quantum mechanics, Pauli matrices, polarization effects, quantum optics
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