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Using only elementary quantum-mechanical concepts, the statistical properties of various harmonic oscillator states that are linear superpositions of its energy eigenfunctions are described. These superpositions include coherent states and squeezed (or two-photon coherent) states. The resulting Gaussian, minimum-uncertainty wave packets are shown to oscillate back and forth for both coherent and squeezed states, but with an oscillating ‘‘width’’ for the squeezed states. Also examined are the principles underlying the production of squeezed electromagnetic waves via parametric amplification or four-wave mixing, their measurement by homodyne detection, and the connection between squeezing and non-Poissonian counting statistics.
Henry et al. (Fri,) studied this question.