U.S.-Australia Cooperative Research: Theory of Very High Precision Optical Measurements

该奖项将支持南加州大学的Carlton Caves博士和澳大利亚昆士兰大学物理系的Gerald J. Milburn博士之间的合作研究。本研究的总体目标是推进光子的表征。光子的表征是特定探测器的特性的部分函数，这些特性决定了其光学频率模式。因此，发展连续光频测量理论对于推进光子的表征是必要的。没有这样的理论，就很难找到高精度光子光学探测的量子限制。该项目的具体目标是发展一个理论框架来描述和分析光场的连续量子限制检测。该项目继续了美国和澳大利亚研究人员的合作，他们为这一理论框架的发展做出了重大贡献。期望该项目将改进框架；为量子物理学的基础做出贡献；此外，还促进了现代光学和光通信理论的应用。

This award will support collaborative research between Dr. Carlton Caves of the University of Southern California and Dr. Gerald J. Milburn of the Department of Physics, University of Queensland, Australia. An overall objective of this research is to advance characterization of photons. Characterization of photons are a partial function of the properties -- which determine the optical frequency mode -- of particular detectors. Development of a theory of continual optical-frequency measurements is therefore necessary to advance characterization of photons. Without such theory, it becomes difficult to find quantum limitations to high- precision optical detection of photons. The specific objective of this project is to develop a theoretical framework for describing and analyzing continual quantum-limited detection of optical fields. The project continues collaboration of U.S. and Australian researchers who have made significant contributions to development of this theoretical framework. Expectations are that the project will improve the framework; contribute to the foundations of quantum physics; and, in addition, lead to advances in applications in modern optics and optical communications theory.