Observation of Phase-Sensitive Noise in Sodium Vapor

Abstract

Squeezed states of light exhibit phase-sensitive quantum noise, which can be measured via optical homodyne detection. Squeezed state generation has been predicted in degenerate four-wave mixing, resonance fluorescence, and nonlinear propagation. We report observing phase-sensitive noise via optical homodyning on a cw dye laser beam which has propagated through sodium vapor near the D-lines.