6.453 Quantum Optical Communication, Fall 2006
Instructor: Prof. Jeffrey H. Shapiro

This course is offered to graduate students and covers topics in five major areas of quantum optical communication: quantum optics, single-mode and two-mode quantum systems, multi-mode quantum systems, nonlinear optics, and quantum systems theory. Specific topics include the following. Quantum optics: Dirac notation quantum mechanics; harmonic oscillator quantization; number states, coherent states, and squeezed states; radiation field quantization and quantum field propagation; P-representation and classical fields. Linear loss and linear amplification: commutator preservation and the Uncertainty Principle; beam splitters; phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive amplifiers. Quantum photodetection: direct detection, heterodyne detection, and homodyne detection. Second-order nonlinear optics: phase-matched interactions; optical parametric amplifiers; generation of squeezed states, photon-twin beams, non-classical fourth-order interference, and polarization entanglement. Quantum systems theory: optimum binary detection, quantum precision measurements, quantum cryptography, and quantum teleportation.