Approaching single-photon pulses

Abstract

Single-photon pulses cannot be generated on demand, due to incompatible requirements of positive frequencies and positive times. Resulting states therefore contain small probabilities for multiphotons. We derive upper and lower bounds for the maximum fidelity of realizable states that approximate single-photon pulses. The bounds have implications for ultrafast optics; the maximum fidelity is low for pulses with few cycles or close to the onset, but increases rapidly as the pulse envelope varies more slowly. We also demonstrate strictly localized states that are close to single photons.

References in corpus (6)

• Quantum Physics of Simple Optical Instruments
• There are No Causality Problems for Fermi's Two Atom System
• Dynamics of the non-classical light from a single solid-state quantum emitter
• Dynamics of single-photon emission from electrically pumped color centers
• Photon localization barrier can be overcome
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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Limits for realizing single photons
• Strictly localized three-dimensional states close to single photons
• Isomorphism between the Bialynicki-Birula and the Landau-Peierls Fock space quantization of the electromagnetic field in position representation
• Tunneling times of single photons
• Nonlocality of the energy density for all single-photon states
• Nonlocality of the energy density of a spontaneously emitted single-photon from a Hydrogen atom