Rayleigh-Jeans and Boltzmann distributions emerge in quantum light

Researchers at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Saint Louis University have demonstrated the thermalization of single- and two-photon states using classical light propagating alongside quantum beams within multimode nonlinear optical systems. The work reveals the emergence of both Rayleigh-Jeans and Boltzmann statistical distributions, indicating a robust level of thermalization in the quantum light. This demonstration harnesses nonlinear multimode optical platforms to induce effective quantum interactions between photons, offering a new way to investigate quantum many-body dynamics. The findings will enable exploration of complex quantum phenomena, including quantum phase transitions, within accessible classical optical settings. Researchers demonstrated this effect by propagating quantum beams alongside classical light within multimode nonlinear optical systems, revealing a pathway to study quantum dynamics using accessible classical technology. This approach allows for the investigation of how classical nonlinearities influence the behavior of fundamental quantum states, specifically single- and two-photon states, offering insights into complex quantum phenomena. Weak nonlinear interactions are key; strong…