Published January 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

Non-negative Wigner functions for orbital angular momentum states

  • 1. Departamento de Optica, Facultad de Fisica, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid (Spain)
  • 2. Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Guadalajara, 44420 Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico)
  • 3. Department of Optics, Palacky University, 17. listopadu 50, CZ-772 00 Olomouc (Czech Republic)

Description

The Wigner function of a pure continuous-variable quantum state is non-negative if and only if the state is Gaussian. Here we show that for the canonical pair angle and angular momentum, the only pure states with non-negative Wigner functions are the eigenstates of the angular momentum. Some implications of this surprising result are discussed.

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review. A
Journal Volume
81
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 012101-012101.4
ISSN
1050-2947
CODEN
PLRAAN

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
42001303
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
EIGENSTATES; FUNCTIONS; ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM; WIGNER DISTRIBUTION
Descriptors DEC
ANGULAR MOMENTUM

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2010 The American Physical Society