Quantum versus classical polarization states: when multipoles count

Author: Sánchez-Soto L.L.   Klimov A.B.   P de la Hoz   Leuchs G.  

Publisher: IOP Publishing

ISSN: 0953-4075

Source: Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, Vol.46, Iss.10, 2013-05, pp. : 104011-104015

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Abstract

We advocate a simple multipole expansion of the polarization density matrix. The resulting multipoles are used to construct bona fide quasiprobability distributions that appear as a sum of successive moments of the Stokes variables, the first one corresponding to the classical picture on the Poincaré sphere. We employ the particular case of the Q function to formulate a whole hierarchy of measures that properly assess higher-order polarization correlations.