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Progressive field-state collapse and quantum non-demolition photon counting

Nature volume 448, pages 889–893 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The irreversible evolution of a microscopic system under measurement is a central feature of quantum theory. From an initial state generally exhibiting quantum uncertainty in the measured observable, the system is projected into a state in which this observable becomes precisely known. Its value is random, with a probability determined by the initial system’s state. The evolution induced by measurement (known as ‘state collapse’) can be progressive, accumulating the effects of elementary state changes. Here we report the observation of such a step-by-step collapse by non-destructively measuring the photon number of a field stored in a cavity. Atoms behaving as microscopic clocks cross the cavity successively. By measuring the light-induced alterations of the clock rate, information is progressively extracted, until the initially uncertain photon number converges to an integer. The suppression of the photon number spread is demonstrated by correlations between repeated measurements. The procedure illustrates all the postulates of quantum measurement (state collapse, statistical results and repeatability) and should facilitate studies of non-classical fields trapped in cavities.

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Figure 1: Principle of QND photon counting.
Figure 2: Progressive collapse of field into photon number state.
Figure 3: Reconstructed photon number distribution.
Figure 4: Repeated QND measurements.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (ANR), by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and by the EU under the IP projects SCALA and CONQUEST. C.G. and S.D. were funded by the Délégation Générale à l’Armement (DGA). J.-M.R. is a member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF).

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Author notes

  1. Stefan Kuhr

    Present address: Present address: Johannes Gutenberg Universität, Institut für Physik, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 24 rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France,

    Christine Guerlin, Julien Bernu, Samuel Deléglise, Clément Sayrin, Sébastien Gleyzes, Stefan Kuhr, Michel Brune, Jean-Michel Raimond & Serge Haroche

  2. Collège de France, 11 place Marcelin Berthelot, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France,

    Serge Haroche

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Correspondence to Michel Brune or Serge Haroche.

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Guerlin, C., Bernu, J., Deléglise, S. et al. Progressive field-state collapse and quantum non-demolition photon counting. Nature 448, 889–893 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06057

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