Nonclassical detectors and nonclassicality

Abstract

According to Born's rule quantum probabilities are given by the overlap between the system state and measurement states in a quite symmetrical way. This means that both contribute to any observed nonclassical effect that is usually attributed just to the observed light state. This is relevant since typical measurement are highly nonclassical by themselves, such as number states and quadrature eigenstates. We show that nonclassical effects only arise provided that the measurement is itself nonclassical. Otherwise there is a classical-like model accounting for the observed statistics.