Polarization Squeezing of Continuous Variable Stokes Parameters

Abstract

We report the first direct experimental characterization of continuous variable quantum Stokes parameters. We generate a continuous wave light beam with more than 3 dB of simultaneous squeezing in three of the four Stokes parameters. The polarization squeezed beam is produced by mixing two quadrature squeezed beams on a polarizing beam splitter. Depending on the squeezed quadrature of these two beams the quantum uncertainty volume on the Poincaré sphere becomes a "cigarlike" or "pancakelike" ellipsoid.