Physical Bounds to the Entropy-Depolarization Relation in Random Light Scattering

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of multi-mode scattering of light by optically random media, using the Mueller-Stokes formalism which permits to encode all the polarization properties of the scattering medium in a real $4\times 4$ matrix. From this matrix two relevant parameters can be extracted: the depolarizing power $D_M$ and the polarization entropy $E_M$ of the scattering medium. By studying the relation between $E_M$ and $D_M$, we find that {\em all} scattering media must satisfy some {\em universal} constraints. These constraints apply to both classical and quantum scattering processes. The results obtained here may be especially relevant for quantum communication applications, where depolarization is synonymous with decoherence.

4 pages, 2 figures

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• Frobenius-norm-based measures of quantum coherence and asymmetry
• Nonlocal continuous variable correlations and violation of Bell's inequality for light beams with topological singularities
• The polarization properties of a tilted polarizer
• Quantifying classical entanglement using polarimetry: Spatially-inhomogeneously polarized beams
• Entropic Diagram Characterization of Quantum Coherence: Degenerate Distillation and the Maximum Eigenvalue Uncertainty Bound
• Spectral Bounds on Entropy and Ergotropy via Statistical Effective Temperature in Classical Polarization and Quantum Thermal States
• Thermodynamics of quantum information in noisy polarizers
• Differential description and irreversibility of depolarizing light-matter interactions
• Equivalence of light transport and depolarization
• Merit functions and measurement schemes for single parameter depolarization models