Quantum Optics, Experimental Gravity, and Measurement Theory

This volume contains the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute "Quantum Optics and Experimental General Relativity" which was held in Bad Windsheim, Federal Republic of Germany, from August 16 to 29, 1981. At first glance, one might wonder why a meeting should cover these two topics, and a good bit of quantum measurement theory as well, all of which seem to be completely unrelated. The key to what one may call this grand unification lies in the effort, underway in a number of laboratories around the world, to detect gravitational radiation. Present research is pursuing the development of two types of detectors: laser interferometers and resonant bar detectors. Be­ cause the signals that one is trying to measure are so weak the quan­ tum mechanical nature of the detectors comes into play. The analy­ sis of the effects which result from this is facilitated by the use of techniques which have been developed in quantum optics over the years. This analysis also forces one to confront certain issues in the quantum theory of measurement. The laser interferometer detectors, using as they do light, are clearly within the realm of subjects usually considered by quantum optics. For example, the analysis of the noise present in such a de­ tector can make use of the many techniques which have been developed in quantum optics.

Contenu

The Glorious Days of Physics.- The Glorious Days of Physics.- Foundations.- to General Relativity.- Review of the Quantum Mechanical Measurement Problem.- On State Reduction and Observation in Quantum Optics: Wigner's Friends and Their Amnesia.- Information Transfer in Quantum Measurements: Irreversibility and Amplification.- To Fathom Space and Time.- Elementary Quantum Phenomenon as Building Unit.- A Measure of the Distinguishability of Quantum States.- What is an Electron? Relativistic Electron Theory and Radiative Processes.- Methods of Quantum Optics.- to Stochastic Processes.- Fluctuations in Quantum Optical Systems.- Quantum Fluctuations in Non Linear Optics.- Quantum Communication, Quantum Measurement, TCS and QND.- Phase Conjugate Optics and Applications to Interferometry and to Laser Gyros.- Selected Topics of Laser Spectroscopy of Atoms and Molecules.- Experimental Gravitation.- Experimental Gravity, Gravitational Waves, and Quantum Nondemolition: An Introduction.- Some Remarks on the Interaction Between Precision Physical Measurement and Fundamental Physical Theories.- Proper Time Experiments in Gravitational Fields with Atomic Clocks, Aircraft, and Laser Light Pulses.- Laser Ranging to Retro-Reflectors on the Moon as a Test of Theories of Gravity.- The Meaning of the Lunar Laser Ranging Experimental Results for Gravitational Theory.- Gravitational Wave Detectors Using Laser Interferometers and Optical Cavities: Ideas, Principles and Prospects.- Gravitational Wave Detectors Using Laser Interferometers and Optical Cavities: Some Practical Aspects and Results.- The Munich Gravitational Wave Detector Using Laser Interferometry.- Quantum Nondemolition Measurements.- On the Quantum-Non-Demolition Measurement of the Energy of Optical Quanta.- Detection of External Force on an Oscillator by Measurement of Its Coordinate Integral.- Readout State Preparation and Quantum Non-Demolition.- Quantum Noise in the Interferometer Detector.- Quantum Noise and QND Measurements.- Non Back-Reacting Instrumentation for Low-Temperature Gravitational Wave Detectors.- Testing General Relativity Using Quantum Interference.- Generalized Space Time Parametric Processing Arrays and Relativistic Experiments.