Abstract

Poisson photons may be converted into sub-Poisson photons by the action of an electron current configured in an external feedback loop. The generation mechanism involves single-photon transitions so that the source can be made arbitrarily sub-Poisson. Unlike previous schemes, nonlinear optics is not invoked. A useful configuration involves a photon emitter illuminating a detector/ source combination in a closed-loop system. Two solid-state implementations of the detector/source are suggested. One makes use of electronic dipole transitions between the energy levels of a quantum-well heterostructure; the other operates by electrons impact-exciting electroluminescent centers.

© 1986 Optical Society of America