Quantum Nature of Quasi-Classical States and Highest Possible Single-Photon Rate

Abstract

Observation of the purely quantum mechanical effects of quasi-classical states is of utmost importance since these states are realistic sources of radiation and do not have any shortage in photon numbers. Therefore, they do not face the scalability problem as much as other single-photon sources do, which makes them much more robust against photon loss. Moreover, these states define the standard quantum limit. Hence, finding their quantum signature hints to the highest possible single-photon rate. In this manuscript, we attempt to demonstrate this idea theoretically using known dynamics and then present supporting experimental results. Through our experiment, we realize two-photon bunching from the transfer of quantum information using such states with the projection of orbital angular momentum from a continuous wave source. Our work is a step forward towards a more diverse and practical use of quasi-classical states in the domain of quantum optics and quantum information.