Southwest Quantum Information and Technology

Quantum noise properties of PT symmetric systems

Presenting Author: Perry Rice, University of Oregon
Contributing Author(s): Jayson Rook, Dept. of Physics and Macklin Quantum Sciences, Miami Univ. Oxford OH 45056

We examine the quantum noise properties of a simple PT system comprising of two coupled oscillators, one with gain and one with loss. We show that claims of a zero width resonances in these systems are incorrect. Essentially the noise introduced by the gain is excluded. We find that the usual implementation of PT symmetry is equivalent to quantum trajectory theory, but with no jump processes. As such it is essentially a wave description with no concept of the photon included. We discuss the relation of PT to more traditional ways of treating open quantum systems, showing that {\cal PT} quantum mechanics is {\it not} an extension of quantum mechanics into the complex plane.

(Session 5 : Sunday from 5:00pm - 7:00pm)