Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2001 – 424 p.
Quanta and information, S.Ya. Kilin
Optical solitons in periodic media with resonant and off-resonant nonlinearities, G. Kurizki, A.E. Kozhekin, T. Opat Ly, B.A. Malomed
Quantum Zeno and inverse quantum Zeno effects, P. Facchi, S. Pascazio
Singular optics, M.S. Soskin, M.V. Vasnetsov
Multi-photon quantum interferometry, G. Jaeger, A.V. Sergienko
Transverse mode shaping and selection in laser resonators, R. Oron, N. Davidson, A.A. Friesem, E. Hasman
This volume presents six review articles devoted to various topics of current interest both in classical and in quantum optics. The first article, by S.Ya. Kilin, entitled Quanta and information, is conceed with a multidisciplinary subject which involves optics, information theory, programming and discrete mathematics. It contains contributions from areas such as computing, teleportation, quantum cryptography and decoherence. The article presents an account of recent results obtained in this relatively new field.
The second article. Optical solitons in periodic media with resonant and off-resonant nonlinearities, by G. Kurizki, A.E. Kozhekin, T. Opaty and B. Malomed, reviews the properties of optical solitons in periodic nonlinear media. The emphasis is on solitons in periodically refractive media (Bragg gratings), incorporating a periodic set of thin layers of two-level systems resonantly interacting with the field. Such media support a variety of bright and dark 'gap solitons' propagating in the band gaps of the Bragg gratings, as well as their multi-dimensional analogs (light bullets). These novel gap solitons differ substantially from their counterparts in periodic media with either cubic
or quadratic off-resonant nonlinearities.
The article which follows, entitled Quantum Zeno and inverse quantum Zeno effects, by P. Facchi and S. Pascazio, deals with an effect and its inverse which is a manifestation of hindrance and enhancement, respectively, of the evolution of a quantum system by an exteal agent, such as a detection apparatus. The article includes some examples from quantum optics and quantum electrodynamics.
The fourth article, by M.S. Soskin and M.V Vasnetsov, discusses the current status of a relatively new branch of physical optics, sometimes called singular optics. It is conceed with effects associated with phase singularities of wavefields. Wavefronts in the neighborhood of such points exhibit dislocations, optical vortices and other features which are not present in commonly encountered wavefields which have smooth wavefronts. The next article, by G. Jaeger and A.V Sergienko, presents a review of advances in two-photon interferometry and their relation to investigations of the foundations of quantum theory. A recent history of tests of Bell's inequality and the production of entangled photon pairs for testing it is given that illustrates the central role of spontaneous parametric down-conversion in current two-photon interferometry. Quantum imaging and quantum teleportation are used to illustrate the current power of entanglement in advanced quantum-optical applications. New, increasingly efficient sources of entangled photon states are described and the manner in which they will assure further progress in multiple-particle interferometry is discussed. Multiple-photon entanglement is shown to provide a new set of phenomena to be investigated in the future by multiple-photon interferometry.
The concluding article, by R. Oron, N. Davidson, A.A. Friesem and E. Hasman, is conceed with transverse mode shaping and selection in laser resonators. It presents a review of recent investigations on the shaping and selection of laser modes, by the use of various elements that are inserted into laser resonators. Experimental techniques, as well as basic numerical and analytical methods, are presented. The qualities of the emerging beams, based on different criteria, are discussed, along with various applications for specially designed beams.
Quanta and information, S.Ya. Kilin
Optical solitons in periodic media with resonant and off-resonant nonlinearities, G. Kurizki, A.E. Kozhekin, T. Opat Ly, B.A. Malomed
Quantum Zeno and inverse quantum Zeno effects, P. Facchi, S. Pascazio
Singular optics, M.S. Soskin, M.V. Vasnetsov
Multi-photon quantum interferometry, G. Jaeger, A.V. Sergienko
Transverse mode shaping and selection in laser resonators, R. Oron, N. Davidson, A.A. Friesem, E. Hasman
This volume presents six review articles devoted to various topics of current interest both in classical and in quantum optics. The first article, by S.Ya. Kilin, entitled Quanta and information, is conceed with a multidisciplinary subject which involves optics, information theory, programming and discrete mathematics. It contains contributions from areas such as computing, teleportation, quantum cryptography and decoherence. The article presents an account of recent results obtained in this relatively new field.
The second article. Optical solitons in periodic media with resonant and off-resonant nonlinearities, by G. Kurizki, A.E. Kozhekin, T. Opaty and B. Malomed, reviews the properties of optical solitons in periodic nonlinear media. The emphasis is on solitons in periodically refractive media (Bragg gratings), incorporating a periodic set of thin layers of two-level systems resonantly interacting with the field. Such media support a variety of bright and dark 'gap solitons' propagating in the band gaps of the Bragg gratings, as well as their multi-dimensional analogs (light bullets). These novel gap solitons differ substantially from their counterparts in periodic media with either cubic
or quadratic off-resonant nonlinearities.
The article which follows, entitled Quantum Zeno and inverse quantum Zeno effects, by P. Facchi and S. Pascazio, deals with an effect and its inverse which is a manifestation of hindrance and enhancement, respectively, of the evolution of a quantum system by an exteal agent, such as a detection apparatus. The article includes some examples from quantum optics and quantum electrodynamics.
The fourth article, by M.S. Soskin and M.V Vasnetsov, discusses the current status of a relatively new branch of physical optics, sometimes called singular optics. It is conceed with effects associated with phase singularities of wavefields. Wavefronts in the neighborhood of such points exhibit dislocations, optical vortices and other features which are not present in commonly encountered wavefields which have smooth wavefronts. The next article, by G. Jaeger and A.V Sergienko, presents a review of advances in two-photon interferometry and their relation to investigations of the foundations of quantum theory. A recent history of tests of Bell's inequality and the production of entangled photon pairs for testing it is given that illustrates the central role of spontaneous parametric down-conversion in current two-photon interferometry. Quantum imaging and quantum teleportation are used to illustrate the current power of entanglement in advanced quantum-optical applications. New, increasingly efficient sources of entangled photon states are described and the manner in which they will assure further progress in multiple-particle interferometry is discussed. Multiple-photon entanglement is shown to provide a new set of phenomena to be investigated in the future by multiple-photon interferometry.
The concluding article, by R. Oron, N. Davidson, A.A. Friesem and E. Hasman, is conceed with transverse mode shaping and selection in laser resonators. It presents a review of recent investigations on the shaping and selection of laser modes, by the use of various elements that are inserted into laser resonators. Experimental techniques, as well as basic numerical and analytical methods, are presented. The qualities of the emerging beams, based on different criteria, are discussed, along with various applications for specially designed beams.