QED notes

Input-Output Theory

Input-output relations and Gaussian field conventions from the handwritten QM Reference notes.

Updated 2026-08-06

Input-Output Theory

For a system operator cc coupled to a Markovian bosonic bath,

HI=iℏ∫dω κ2π(bω†c−c†bω).H_I=i\hbar\int d\omega\,\sqrt{\frac{\kappa}{2\pi}} \left(b_\omega^\dagger c-c^\dagger b_\omega\right).

The notes warn to keep sign conventions consistent. With the convention above, an arbitrary system operator aa follows

a˙=−iℏ[a,Hs(t)]−[a,c†](κ2c+κ bin)+(κ2c†+κ bin†)[a,c].\dot a =-\frac{i}{\hbar}[a,H_s(t)] -[a,c^\dagger]\left(\frac{\kappa}{2}c+\sqrt{\kappa}\,b_{\rm in}\right) +\left(\frac{\kappa}{2}c^\dagger+\sqrt{\kappa}\,b_{\rm in}^\dagger\right)[a,c].

For c=ac=a, a bosonic annihilation operator,

a˙=−iℏ[a,Hs(t)]−κ2a−κ bin.\dot a=-\frac{i}{\hbar}[a,H_s(t)]-\frac{\kappa}{2}a-\sqrt{\kappa}\,b_{\rm in}.

The input-output relation is

bout−bin=κ c(t).b_{\rm out}-b_{\rm in}=\sqrt{\kappa}\,c(t).

Gaussian Input-Output Fields

For a bosonic mode,

[a,a†]=1.[a,a^\dagger]=1.

Dimensionless quadratures:

X=a+a†2,P=a−a†2i,[X,P]=i2.X=\frac{a+a^\dagger}{2},\qquad P=\frac{a-a^\dagger}{2i},\qquad [X,P]=\frac{i}{2}.

A thermal state is diagonal in the Fock basis:

ρ=Nexp⁡(−βℏωa†a),\rho=\mathcal N\exp(-\beta\hbar\omega a^\dagger a),

where N\mathcal N normalizes the trace. If ρ\rho is thermal, nˉ\bar n is the Bose-Einstein occupation and

⟨an⟩=⟨(a†)n⟩=0,⟨a†a⟩=nˉ,⟨aa†⟩=nˉ+1.\langle a^n\rangle=\langle(a^\dagger)^n\rangle=0,\qquad \langle a^\dagger a\rangle=\bar n,\qquad \langle aa^\dagger\rangle=\bar n+1.

The quadrature variances are

σX2=⟨X2⟩=14⟨{a,a†}⟩=14(2nˉ+1),σP2=σX2.\sigma_X^2=\langle X^2\rangle =\frac14\langle\{a,a^\dagger\}\rangle =\frac14(2\bar n+1), \qquad \sigma_P^2=\sigma_X^2.

Using the physical convention

X′=ℏ2(a+a†),P′=ℏ2a−a†i,[X′,P′]=iℏ,X'=\sqrt{\frac{\hbar}{2}}(a+a^\dagger),\qquad P'=\sqrt{\frac{\hbar}{2}}\frac{a-a^\dagger}{i}, \qquad [X',P']=i\hbar,

the variances become

σX′2=σP′2=ℏ2(2nˉ+1).\sigma_{X'}^2=\sigma_{P'}^2 =\frac{\hbar}{2}(2\bar n+1).

The vacuum value is therefore ℏ/2\hbar/2 in each physical quadrature.

For thermal input-output fields in the white-noise limit,

[ain(t),ain†(t′)]=δ(t−t′),[a_{\rm in}(t),a_{\rm in}^\dagger(t')]=\delta(t-t'), ⟨ain†(t)ain(t′)⟩=nˉinδ(t−t′),\langle a_{\rm in}^\dagger(t)a_{\rm in}(t')\rangle =\bar n_{\rm in}\delta(t-t'),

and the opposite ordering is

⟨ain(t)ain†(t′)⟩=(nˉin+1)δ(t−t′).\langle a_{\rm in}(t)a_{\rm in}^\dagger(t')\rangle =(\bar n_{\rm in}+1)\delta(t-t').

Reference

  • Gardiner and Collett, Input and output in damped quantum systems: Quantum stochastic differential equations and the master equation. Phys. Rev. A 31, 3761 (1985).
  • Gardiner, Parkins, and Collett, Input and output in damped quantum systems. II. Methods in non-white-noise situations and application to inhibition of atomic phase decays. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 4, 1683 (1987).