Quantum Optics & Photon Statistics
Hanbury Brown & Twiss (HBT)
Simulate Robert Hanbury Brown and Richard Twiss's 1956 quantum optics experiment. Measure the second-order degree of coherence $g^{(2)}(\tau)$ to observe photon bunching ($g^{(2)}(0) = 2$ thermal), Poissonian coherent laser ($g^{(2)}(0) = 1$), and quantum antibunching ($g^{(2)}(0) = 0$).
Coherence g²(0)
2.00 (Photon Bunching)
Detector 1 Hits
1450 photons
Coincidence Hits
290 coincidences
Light Source Setup
Visual Overlay
Controls
Second-Order Degree of Coherence Equations
Intensity Correlation: g^(2)(τ) = ⟨I(t) I(t + τ)⟩ / ⟨I(t)⟩²
Thermal Chaotic Light: g^(2)(0) = 2 (Bose-Einstein Photon Bunching)
Coherent Laser Field: g^(2)(0) = 1 (Poissonian Random)
Single-Photon Emitter: g^(2)(0) = 0 (Quantum Sub-Poissonian Antibunching)
Thermal Chaotic Light: g^(2)(0) = 2 (Bose-Einstein Photon Bunching)
Coherent Laser Field: g^(2)(0) = 1 (Poissonian Random)
Single-Photon Emitter: g^(2)(0) = 0 (Quantum Sub-Poissonian Antibunching)
Developer Reference
Core Algorithm & Standalone Script
// Hanbury Brown and Twiss photon correlation g(2)(tau) engine
const canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
// g2(tau) = / ^2