Photon Statistics in a Waveguide: Beyond Bunching and Antibunching

Xin H. H. Zhang, H. U. Baranger

Published 2017-10-04Version 1

Photon bunching and antibunching are usually defined through the second order correlation function $g^{(2)}(\tau)$. Here, we obtain photon counting statistics by using a quantum jump approach tailored to a system in which one or two qubits are coupled to a one-dimensional waveguide. Photons confined in the waveguide have strong interference effects, which are shown to play a vital role in quantum jumps and photon statistics. For a single qubit, for instance, bunching of transmitted photons is heralded by a jump that increases the qubit population. We show that the distribution and correlations of waiting times offer a more precise and clearer characterization of photon bunching and antibunching. Further, the waiting times can be used to characterize complex correlations of photons which are hidden in $g^{(2)}(\tau)$, such as a mixture of bunching and antibunching.