Abstract

We have measured the Wigner function of the vacuum and of a one photon field state prepared in a high Q cavity. We implement a method proposed by Lutterbach and Davidovich [1]. The field state is prepared in a high Q superconducting microwave cavity and measured by a single circular Rydberg atom which is strongly coupled to the cavity mode [3]. An analysis of the measured Wigner function allows to reconstruct efficiently the actual photon number distribution of the prepared field.

© 2003 Optical Society of America