Schrödinger cat state
= Schrödinger cat state
{c}
= Optical cat state
{synonym}
A coherent <superposition> of distinct optical coherent amplitudes, for example $N(|\alpha\rangle+e^{i\phi}|-\alpha\rangle)$. It differs from the corresponding incoherent mixture through cross terms in observables and its phase-space interference. For large $|\alpha|$, branch distinguishability is large while ordinary <quadrature squeezing> can become exponentially small.