THE INFLUENCE OF OPTICAL-PROCESSING THROUGH LINEAR PASSIVE SYSTEMS ON THE QUANTUM-PROPERTIES OF LIGHT

A microscopic quantum description of the interaction between a radiation field coupled to sources and linear passive optical systems is presented. The quantum input-output relations for correlation functions that determine the quantum statistical properties are established under general conditions. In particular the influence of the vacuum field is taken into account. The treatment has advantageously been performed with the help of Green function techniques, which allow one to include loss mechanisms and dispersion of the linear medium. To illustrate the general results two interesting examples, the diminishing of squeezing due to a lossy Fabry-Perot interferometer and the action of a black screen, are given.