Operator for Describing Polarization States of a Photon
arXiv:quant-ph/9901015 · doi:10.1007/s100530050050
Abstract
Based on the quantized electromagnetic field described by the Riemann-Silberstein complex vector , we construct the eigenvector set of , which makes up an orthonormal and complete representation. In terms of we then introduce a new operator which can describe the relative ratio of the left-handed and right-handed polarization states of a polarized photon .In eigenvector basis the operator manifestly exhibits a behaviour which is similar to a phase difference between two orientations of polarization of a light beam in classical optics.
This version (5 pages) will be published in the European Physical Journal D