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# Quantum theory of self-action of ultrashort light pulses in an inertial nonlinear medium

## I INTRODUCTION

During the past years the study of formation of nonclassical light pulses in nonlinear media has been the focus of a considerable attention. The present article is devoted to the development of the consecutive theory of formation of nonclassical short light pulses in nonlinear media with inertial Kerr nonlinearity. It is well known, that in nonlinear media in the presence of the self-action effect the squeezing of quantum fluctuations of one quadrature component of a field with conservation of the photon statistics take place . At present there are two basic directions of research in the quantum theory of self-action of ultrashort light pulses (USPs). In the first approach  the calculations of the nonclassical light formation at the self-action of light pulses assume that the nonlinear response of nonlinearity is instantaneous and that the relative fluctuations are small. This latter assumption is valid for the intensive USPs frequently used in experiments. However, a finite relaxation time of the nonlinearity has a principled importance as the relaxation time determines the region of the spectrum of the quantum fluctuation below the standard noise level. For the first time, in  was noted that for the correct quantum solution of self-action, it is necessary to take into account the presence of quantum noise. The presence of quantum noise was anticipated in  as thermal addition to the interaction Hamiltonian. This addition was necessary in order to satisfy the commutation relation for time-dependent Bose-operators. If the interaction Hamiltonian has the normally ordered form  then it is not necessary to have deal with thermal fluctuations. This approach allows us to develop an algebra of time-dependent Bose-operators and to investigate the spectrum of quantum fluctuations of the quadrature components. The results of the quantum theory of self-action for USPs in the medium with the relaxation Kerr nonlinearity based on the normally ordered interaction Hamiltonian and the developed algebra of time-dependent Bose-operators are presented below.

## II THE QUANTUM EQUATION OF SELF-ACTION OF USPs

For the monochromatic radiation the quantum equation of self-action can be found, for example, in . Up to now, the proper quantum equation of the self-action for USPs with the account of relaxation behavior of the nonlinearity is absent in the literature. It is necessary to mention that the deduction of the quantum equation is based on the interaction Hamiltonian. However, in this case we obtain the time-evolution equation for the Bose-operators. For monochromatic radiation the conversion of time-evolution equation into space-evolution one is done using the $`tz/u`$ replacement, where $`z`$ is time variable and $`u`$ is the speed of pulse in nonlinear media. If we deal with the propagation of pulse in nonlinear media then the ”impulse operator” of a pulse field should be used . We begin with the analyse of the self-action of UPSs in non-inertial nonlinear media.

### A THE QUANTUM EQUATION OF SELF-ACTION IN THE NON-INERTIAL NONLINEAR MEDIA

In nonlinear media with non-inertial behavior the self-action process is described using the impulse operator (quantity of movement) $`\widehat{G}_{int}(z)`$

$$\widehat{G}_{int}(z)=\beta \mathrm{}_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}\widehat{𝐍}[\widehat{n}^2(t,z)]𝑑t,$$
(1)
where $`\widehat{𝐍}`$ is the operator of normal ordering, factor $`\beta `$ is defined by the cubic nonlinearity of the medium . In consequence, in the Heisenberg representation the quantum space-evolution equation for the annihilation photons Bose-operator in a given cross section $`z`$ ($`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$) has the form

$$i\mathrm{}\frac{\widehat{A}(t,z)}{z}=[\widehat{A}(t,z),\widehat{G}_{int}(z)].$$
(2)
In agreement with (1) the quantum equation of self-action for a light pulse follows from (2)

$$\frac{\widehat{A}(t,z)}{z}i\beta \widehat{A}^+(t,z)\widehat{A}^2(t,z)=0.$$
(3)
Eq.(3) is written in the moving coordinate system: $`z=z^{}`$ and $`t=t^{}z/u`$. It is important to note that in comparison with the so-called nonlinear Heisenberg equation, used in the quantum theory of optical solitons, in (3) the dissipation of light pulse in the nonlinearity is not taken into account. This approach corresponds to the first approximation of dissipation theory. In fact, the traditional way to introduce the quantum equation of self-action is based on the interaction Hamiltonian. In this case one gets the time-evolution equation. The transition to the space-evolution, as already mentioned, is realized using replacement $`tz/u`$. This approach is enough reasonable in case the radiation is monochromatic. If we deal with the nonlinear propagation of a pulse, we use the impulse operator of a pulse field (1) which is connected with the evolution of field in space. Eq.(3) has the solution

$$\widehat{A}(t,z)=e^{i\gamma \widehat{n}_0(t)}\widehat{A}_0(t),$$
(4)
where $`\gamma =\beta z`$ and, as usual, $`\widehat{A}_0(t)`$ is the value of the operator at input of nonlinear media ($`\widehat{A}_0(t)=\widehat{A}(t,z=0)`$), $`\widehat{n}_0(t)=\widehat{A}_0^+(t)\widehat{A}_0(t)`$ is the photon number “density” operator. For its hermitian conjugated operator we find

$$\widehat{A}^+(t,z)=\widehat{A}_0^+(t)e^{i\gamma \widehat{n}_0(t)}.$$
(5)
In agreement with (4) and (5) the operator $`\widehat{n}(t,z)=\widehat{A}^+(t,z)\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ does not change itself in nonlinear medium:

$$\widehat{n}(t,z)=\widehat{n}(t,z=0)=\widehat{n}_0(t),$$
(6)
where $`z=0`$ corresponds to the input of the nonlinear medium. In fact, (6) means that the photon statistic in media remains unchanged. The commutation relation at the input ($`z=0`$) of nonlinearity $`[\widehat{A}_0(t_1),\widehat{A}_0^+(t_2)]=\delta (t_1t_2)`$, should be satisfied for any coordinate $`z`$ in nonlinear media:

$$[\widehat{A}(t_1,z),\widehat{A}^+(t_2,z)]=\delta (t_1t_2).$$
(7)
The solutions (4) and (5) do not permit to verify the commutation relation (7). Besides, the analyse of the statistical characteristics of the pulse is accompanied by the necessity of the reduction to the normally ordered form of the expression $`e^{i\gamma \widehat{n}_0(t)}`$. In this case, the solutions (4) and (5) are accompanied by the singularity of the function $`\delta (t)`$ at $`t=0`$. The specified circumstances represent the main deficiency of the quantum theory of self-action of USPs in non-inertial nonlinear media.

### B THE QUANTUM EQUATION OF SELF-ACTION IN THE INERTIAL NONLINEAR MEDIA

In the classical theory, the self-action process in inertial nonlinear media is described by the equation (in the first approximation of the dispersion theory)

$`{\displaystyle \frac{B(t,z)}{z}}+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{u}}{\displaystyle \frac{B(t,z)}{t}}i{\displaystyle \frac{k_0}{n_0}}\mathrm{\Delta }n(|`$ $`B`$ $`(t,z)|^2)`$ (9)
$`\times B(t,z)=0,`$
where: $`B(t,z)`$\- the complex amplitude of a pulse, $`z`$\- the distance in the nonlinear media, $`u`$\- the group velocity, $`\mathrm{\Delta }n(|B(t,z)|^2)=\mathrm{\Delta }n((t,z)`$\- the nonlinear addition to the coefficient of refraction. We consider that the last term of (9) is caused by the high-frequency Kerr effect, and its evolution follows from the equation

$$\tau _r\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }n(t,z)}{t}+\mathrm{\Delta }n(t,z)=\frac{1}{2}n_2|B(t,z)|^2.$$
(10)
Here $`\tau _r`$ represents the relaxation time of the nonlinearity and $`n_2`$\- the nonlinear factor. We mention that in general the behaviour of the nonlinear addition differs from the one characterized by (10). However, if the carrying frequency of a pulse is far enough from the resonance and the pulse duration $`\tau _p`$ is greater that the relaxation time $`\tau _r`$, then (10) is correct . The solution of (10) looks like

$`\mathrm{\Delta }n(t,z)=(n_2/2){\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^t}H(tt_1)|B(t_1,z)|^2𝑑t_1.`$ (11)
The function of nonlinear response $`H(t)`$ is entered in such a way that in the limit $`\tau _p\tau _r`$ the nonlinear addition becomes $`\mathrm{\Delta }n(t,z)=(n_2/2)|B(t,z)|^2`$. In the moving system of coordinates $`(t^{}=tz/u,z^{}=z)`$, taking into account (11), eq. (9) takes the form

$$\frac{B(t,z)}{z}=i\gamma ^{}_0^{\mathrm{}}H(t_1)|B(tt_1,z)|^2𝑑t_1B(t,z),$$
(12)
where $`\gamma ^{}=k_0n_2/2n_0`$ and the quotation-marks (  ) in new system of coordinates further will be lowered for simplicity. The transition to the quantum equation usually is carried out in the spectral representation. However, in the considered case it is more natural to use time representation. We make in (12) replacement of the complex amplitudes with the operators, entered in the previous sections,

$$B(t,z)iC\widehat{A}(t,z),B^{}(t,z)iC\widehat{A}^+(t,z).$$
(13)
The right part of the equation we have gotten in this way, will be written below in normally ordered form. In order to take into account the presence of the vacuum fluctuations, existing up to the moment of arrival of the pulse, we will replace in (12) the bottom limit of integration by $`\mathrm{}`$. As a result we get ($`C=(\mathrm{}\omega _0/2V)^{1/2}`$, $`\beta =\gamma ^{}C^2/2`$)

$`{\displaystyle \frac{\widehat{A}(t,z)}{z}}=i\beta {\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}H(|t_1|)\widehat{A}^+(tt_1,z)`$ $`\widehat{A}(tt_1,z)`$ (15)
$`\times \widehat{A}(t,z)dt_1.`$
Eq.(15) represents the correct quantum equation and can be obtained from space evolution equation for the operator $`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ in interaction representation (2). Taking into consideration the inertial behaviour of the nonlinearity, the impulse operator of a pulse should be introduced as:

$`\widehat{G}_{int}(z)=\mathrm{}\beta {\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}𝑑t`$ $`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^t}H(tt_1)`$ (17)
$`\times \widehat{𝐍}\left[\widehat{n}(t,z)\widehat{n}(t_1,z)\right]dt_1,`$
where $`H(t)`$ is the nonlinear response of the medium (see (11)) ($`H(t)0`$ at $`t0`$ and $`H(t)=0`$ at $`t<0`$). We note that the integral expression in (17) at the moment of time $`t`$ depends only on the previous ones. Therefore, in this case the causality principle relative to measured physical value is not broken. An important condition that must be satisfied by the impulse operator is

$$[\widehat{G}_{int}(z),\widehat{n}(t,z)]=[\widehat{G}_{int}(z),\widehat{n}_0(t)]=0,$$
(18)
which means that the photon number operator remains unchanged in medium (photon number is a constant of motion ). The annihilation Bose-operator which agrees with the (17) verifies the equation of self-action

$$\frac{\widehat{A}(t,z)}{z}i\beta q[\widehat{n}_0(t)]\widehat{A}(t,z)=0,$$
(19)
where

$$q[\widehat{n}_0(t)]=_0^{\mathrm{}}H(t_1)\left[\widehat{n}_0(tt_1)+\widehat{n}_0(t+t_1)\right]𝑑t_1.$$
(20)
If $`H(t)=\delta (t)`$ then (19) is converted into (3). Eq.(3) can be obtained in the same form if we consider that the response of the nonlinearity has relaxation behaviour $`H(t)`$ in accordance with (11) and the relaxation time $`\tau _r`$ is significantly less than the duration of a pulse $`\tau _p`$. At the same time, as will be shown further, in this limited case also, the account of finite relaxation time plays the main role in formation of the nonclassical light. It is necessary to note, that by replacement in (19) the operators on complex values we obtain the equation, which not completely coincides with the classical equation of self-action in presence of the non-stationary nonlinear response. There is no second term, included in (20) as $`\widehat{n}_0(t+t_1)`$. The presence of this term in quantum theory, which at the first sight is in contradiction with the causality principle, is connected with the quantum description that even in absence of a pulse the vacuum fluctuations always are present. A response function was introduced already in the model for the Kerr effect by Blow et al. . Although the need for an attendant noise source was anticipated by these authors, they did not indicate where it should be inserted. In  the quantum noise as thermal fluctuations was additive inserted in the interaction Hamiltonian but this procedure did not allow to develop the consistent quantum theory of self-action of USPs. According to (17), the operator $`\widehat{n}(t,z)`$ remains unchanged in nonlinear media (see (6)). Solving the spatial evolution equation (19), the annihilation (creation) photons Bose-operators in nonlinear medium have the following form:

$`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`e^{i\gamma q[\widehat{n}_0(t)]}\widehat{A}_0(t).`$ (21)
$`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`\widehat{A}_0^+(t)e^{i\gamma q[\widehat{n}_0(t)]}.`$ (22)
In (21) and (22) $`\widehat{A}_0(t)=\widehat{A}(t,0)`$, $`\gamma =\beta z`$. The expression $`q[\widehat{n}_0(t)]`$ (see (20)) it is convenient to be written as:

$$q[\widehat{n}_0(t)]=_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}h(t_1)\widehat{n}_0(tt_1)dt_1,(h(t)=H(|t|).$$
(23)
If we consider $`\widehat{n}`$ to be time-independent, then the expressions (21) and (22) give results for the monochromatic field. In the case that the nonlinear response in (21), (22) has the form $`h(t)=\delta (t)`$, the results for non-inertial nonlinear media can be obtained (see (5)). To find the statistical characteristics of a pulse at the output of the nonlinear medium it is necessary to estimate the averages of the operators $`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$, $`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$ and their combinations. They can be estimated, if the operator expressions are given in the normally ordered form, when the creation photons Bose-operators are placed at the left of the annihilation photons Bose-operators. The use of the expressions (21), (22) involves the development of a special mathematical device.

## III THE ALGEBRA OF THE TIME-DEPENDENT BOSE-OPERATORS

For the beginning, in order to simplify some expressions we introduce the operators:

$$\widehat{O}(t)=i\gamma q[\widehat{n}_0(t)],\widehat{O}^+(t)=i\gamma q[\widehat{n}_0(t)],$$
(24)
where $`\widehat{O}^+(t)=\widehat{O}(t)`$. Hence, the equations of self-action (21), (22) can be represented as:

$`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\widehat{O}(t)}\widehat{A}_0(t),`$ (25)
$`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`\widehat{A}_0^+(t)e^{\widehat{O}^+(t)}.`$ (26)
Taking into account (23), is it easy to remark that

$$[\widehat{O}(t_1),\widehat{O}(t_2)]=0.$$
(27)
In consequence we have

$`e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)}e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)}e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)}`$ (28)
$`=`$ $`e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)+\widehat{O}(t_2)}=e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)+\widehat{O}(t_1)}.`$ (29)
### A THE PERMUTATION OPERATOR RELATIONS

The following operator permutation relations hold:

$`\widehat{A}_0(t_1)\widehat{O}(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}(t_2)+i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]\widehat{A}_0(t_1),`$ (30)
$`\widehat{A}_0(t_1)\widehat{O^+}(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}^+(t_2)i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]\widehat{A}_0(t_1),`$ (31)
$`\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1)\widehat{O}(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}(t_2)i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1),`$ (32)
$`\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1)\widehat{O^+}(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}^+(t_2)+i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1).`$ (33)
Using the mathematical induction it is possible to demonstrate the validity of the formulae ($`mN`$):

$`\widehat{A}_0(t_1)\widehat{O}^m(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}(t_2)+i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]^m\widehat{A}_0(t_1),`$ (34)
$`\widehat{A}_0(t_1)\widehat{O^+}^m(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}^+(t_2)i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]^m\widehat{A}_0(t_1),`$ (35)
$`\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1)\widehat{O}^m(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}(t_2)i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]^m\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1),`$ (36)
$`\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1)\widehat{O^+}^m(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`[\widehat{O}^+(t_2)+i\gamma h(t_2t_1)]^m\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1).`$ (37)
To simplify the operator algebra is useful to redefine

$$\text{G}(t_2t_1)=i\gamma h(t_2t_1),\text{G}^{}(t_2t_1)=i\gamma h(t_2t_1).$$
(38)
Decomposing $`e^{\widehat{O}(t)}`$ and $`e^{\widehat{O}^+(t)}`$ in Taylor series we obtain the operator permutation relations which play an important role at the estimation of the statistical characteristics of a pulse. Hence, finally we have:

$`\widehat{A}_0(t_1)e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)+\text{G}(t_2t_1)}\widehat{A}_0(t_1),`$ (39)
$`\widehat{A}_0(t_1)e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_2)+\text{G}^{}(t_2t_1)}\widehat{A}_0(t_1),`$ (40)
$`e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)}\widehat{A}_0^+(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`\widehat{A}_0^+(t_2)e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)+\text{G}(t_2t_1)},`$ (41)
$`e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_1)}\widehat{A}_0^+(t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`\widehat{A}_0^+(t_2)e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_1)+\text{G}^{}(t_2t_1)}.`$ (42)
Using the permutation relations (41) it is possible to verify the commutation relation (7) for the operators $`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ and $`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$.

### B THE NORMAL ORDERING THEOREM

As pointed out previously, in the considered analyse another important question is represented by the reduction to normally ordered form of the operators $`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ and $`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$. In (23) we proceed to normalized time $`\theta =t_1/\tau _r`$ and then (24) can be presented like:

$`\widehat{O}(t)`$ $`=`$ $`i\gamma {\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )\widehat{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta `$ (43)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\text{G}(\theta )\widehat{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta ,`$ (44)
where $`\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )=\tau _rh(\theta \tau _r)`$ and $`\text{G}(\theta )=i\gamma \stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )`$. For the reduction of the expressions (24) to the normally ordered form the following theorem can be used:
Theorem: Bose-operator $`e^{\widehat{O}(t)}`$ can be represented in the normally ordered form this way:

$$e^{\widehat{O}(t)}=\widehat{𝐍}\mathrm{exp}\left\{_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}\left[e^{G(\theta )}1\right]\widehat{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta \right\}.$$
(45)
The operators in the integral expression may be understood as the $`c`$-numbers. In  the similar theorem in the spectral representation was formulated and demonstrated and we mention only that the similar demonstration can be done also in this case. In fact in  the integration limits are not defined and the theorem has not a obvious applicability. The demonstration of (45) does not represent the central objective of this article so we formulate the theorem in the time-representation only. The average value of the $`e^{\widehat{O}(t)}`$ is given by the formula

$$e^{\widehat{O}(t)}=\mathrm{exp}\left\{_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}\left[e^{G(\theta )}1\right]\overline{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta \right\}.$$
(46)
### C THE AVERAGE VALUES OF $`e^{\widehat{O}(t)}`$ AND $`e^{\widehat{O}^+(t)}`$

In most of the experimental situations $`\gamma 1`$ which allows one to decompose the integral expression in the (46) and to limit decomposition at terms having order $`\gamma ^2`$. Using this approach we have:

$`e^{\widehat{O}(t)}=\mathrm{exp}`$ $`[{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\text{G}(\theta )\overline{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)d\theta `$ (48)
$`+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\text{G}^2(\theta )\overline{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)d\theta ],`$
where $`\overline{n}_0(t)=\widehat{n}_0(t)=|\alpha _0(t)|^2`$. It is convenient to enter in further analyse the envelope of a pulse $`\rho (t)`$, so that $`\alpha _0(t)=\rho (t)\alpha _0`$. If the initial pulse has the gaussian form then $`\rho (0)=1`$. For simplicity we denote:

$`\psi (t)=\gamma {\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )\overline{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta ,`$ (49)
$`\mu (t)={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\gamma ^2{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}^2(\theta )\overline{n}_0(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta .`$ (50)
From (48) we have

$$e^{\widehat{O}(t)}=e^{i\psi (t)\mu (t)},e^{\widehat{O}^+(t)}=e^{i\psi (t)\mu (t)}.$$
(51)
The parameters $`\psi (t)`$ and $`\mu (t)`$ are connected with the self-action effect and $`\psi (t)`$ represents nonlinear phase addition. Then

$`\psi (t)=\psi _0{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )\rho ^2(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta ,`$ (52)
$`\mu (t)=\mu _0{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}^2(\theta )\rho ^2(t\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta ,`$ (53)
where $`\psi _0=2\gamma \alpha _0^2=2\gamma \overline{n}_0`$ and $`\mu _0=\gamma ^2\overline{n}_0=\gamma \psi _0/2`$. A special interest is represented by the estimation of the average values of the Bose-operator combinations at coherent initial states (see (24)). Taking into account (24) we have:

$$e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)}e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)}=e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)}e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)}=e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)+\widehat{O}(t_2)}=e^{\widehat{Q}(t_1,t_2)}.$$
(54)
In consequence we find

$$\widehat{𝐍}\left[e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)}e^{\widehat{O}(t_2)}\right]=\widehat{𝐍}\left[e^{\widehat{Q}(t_1,t_2)}\right],$$
(55)
where:

$`\widehat{Q}(t_1,t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`\widehat{O}(t_1)+\widehat{O}(t_2)`$ (56)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{\text{G}}(t_1,t_2;\theta )\widehat{n}_0(\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta ,`$ (57)
$`\stackrel{~}{\text{G}}(t_1,t_2;\theta )`$ $`=`$ $`i\gamma \stackrel{~}{h}(t_1\theta \tau _r)+i\gamma \stackrel{~}{h}(t_2\theta \tau _r).`$ (58)
Using the theorem of normal ordering for (57) we estimate the averages of different combinations of Bose-operators:

$`e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)+\widehat{O}(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{i[\psi (t_1)+\psi (t_2)]\mu (t_1,t_2)\text{K}(t_1,t_2)},`$ (59)
$`e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_1)+\widehat{O}(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{i[\psi (t_1)+\psi (t_2)]\mu (t_1,t_2)+\text{K}(t_1,t_2)},`$ (60)
$`e^{\widehat{O}(t_1)+\widehat{O}^+(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{i[\psi (t_1)\psi (t_2)]\mu (t_1,t_2)+\text{K}(t_1,t_2)},`$ (61)
$`e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_1)+\widehat{O}^+(t_2)}`$ $`=`$ $`e^{i[\psi (t_1)+\psi (t_2)]\mu (t_1,t_2)\text{K}(t_1,t_2)},`$ (62)
where $`\mu (t_1,t_2)=\mu (t_1)+\mu (t_2)`$ and $`\text{K}(t_1,t_2)`$ represents the temporal correlator

$$\text{K}(t_1,t_2)=\mu _0_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}\stackrel{~}{h}(t_1\theta \tau _r)\stackrel{~}{h}(t_2\theta \tau _r)\rho ^2(\theta \tau _r)𝑑\theta .$$
(63)
In agreement with most of the experimental situations the approximation $`\tau _p\tau _r`$ can be used. In this case in (52),(53) and (63) we can suppose that in time the envelope of a pulse slowly change itself so it practically does not depend on the change of the integration variable. Therefore it is possible to eliminate it from the under integral expression in the essential point $`\theta \tau _r=0`$ in (52,53) and $`\theta \tau _r=t_1+\tau /2`$ in (63) which corresponds to the maximal value of under integral expression $`\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )=1`$ (52,53) and $`\stackrel{~}{h}(t_1\theta \tau _r)\stackrel{~}{h}(t_2\theta \tau _r)=\stackrel{~}{h}(\tau /2)\stackrel{~}{h}(\tau /2)=\stackrel{~}{h}^2(\tau /2)`$ (63) consequently. Then

$`\psi (t)`$ $`=`$ $`\psi _0\rho ^2(t){\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )𝑑\theta ,`$ (64)
$`\mu (t)`$ $`=`$ $`\mu _0\rho ^2(t){\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}^2(\theta )𝑑\theta ,`$ (65)
$`\text{K}(t_1,t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`\mu _0\rho ^2(t_1+\tau /2){\displaystyle \frac{1}{\tau _r}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta +\tau )𝑑\theta .`$ (66)
Here $`\tau =t_2t_1`$. One should note that in our previous analyse we did not choose the relaxation function of nonlinearity in a definite form. If the nonlinearity is of a Kerr type, the relaxation function should be introduced as

$$H(t)=(1/\tau _r)e^{t/\tau _r}(t0).$$
(67)
Then $`\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )=e^{|\theta |}`$ and for the integrals in (64)-(66) we find

$$_0^{\mathrm{}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )𝑑\theta =1,_0^{\mathrm{}}\stackrel{~}{h}^2(\theta )𝑑\theta =\frac{1}{2},$$
(68)
$$g(\tau )=\frac{1}{\tau _r}_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta )\stackrel{~}{h}(\theta +\tau )d\theta =\frac{1}{\tau _r}(1+\frac{|\tau |}{\tau _r})\stackrel{~}{h}(\frac{\tau }{\tau _r}).$$
(69)
## IV THE CORRELATION FUNCTION OF QUADRATURES

As stated earlier (see (6)) in self-action process the photon statistics remains unchanged. Therefore, we are interested in analysing the quadrature components which are defined as:

$`\widehat{X}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`\left[\widehat{A}(t,z)+\widehat{A}^+(t,z)\right]/2,`$ (70)
$`\widehat{Y}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`\left[\widehat{A}(t,z)\widehat{A}^+(t,z)\right]/2i.`$ (71)
The averages of the operators $`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ and $`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$ at initial coherent state of a pulse are

$`\widehat{A}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`\alpha _0(t)e^{\widehat{O}(t)},`$ (72)
$`\widehat{A}^+(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`\alpha _0^{}(t)e^{\widehat{O}^+(t)}.`$ (73)
Taking into account (51) and that $`\alpha _0(t)=|\alpha _0(t)|e^{i\phi (t)}`$, for average values of quadratures we obtain:

$`\widehat{X}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`|\alpha _0(t)|e^{\mu (t)}\mathrm{cos}\mathrm{\Phi }(t),`$ (74)
$`\widehat{Y}(t,z)`$ $`=`$ $`|\alpha _0(t)|e^{\mu (t)}\mathrm{sin}\mathrm{\Phi }(t).`$ (75)
where $`\mathrm{\Phi }(t)=\psi (t)+\phi (t)`$. Exponential term in (74) and (75) is caused by quantum effects - in the classical theory it is not present. From (74)-(75) it is concluded that the changes of quadratures in time are connected with changes in pulse’s envelope. We introduce correlation functions of quadrature components as

$`R_X(t,t+\tau )={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}`$ $`[`$ $`\widehat{X}(t,z)\widehat{X}(t+\tau )+\widehat{X}(t+\tau ,z)\widehat{X}(t,z)`$ (76)
$``$ $`2\widehat{X}(t,z)\widehat{X}(t+\tau ,z)],`$ (77)
$`R_Y(t,t+\tau )={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}`$ $`[`$ $`\widehat{Y}(t,z)\widehat{Y}(t+\tau )+\widehat{Y}(t+\tau ,z)\widehat{Y}(t,z)`$ (78)
$``$ $`2\widehat{Y}(t,z)\widehat{Y}(t+\tau ,z)].`$ (79)
To analyse the correlation functions of quadrature components, it is necessary to evaluate the correlators $`\xi _X(t_1,t_2)=\widehat{X}(t_1)\widehat{X}(t_2)`$ and $`\xi _Y(t_1,t_2)=\widehat{Y}(t_1)\widehat{Y}(t_2)`$. Using permutation relations (41) and (61), we obtain

$`\xi _X(t_1,t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}\delta (t_2t_1)+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}|\alpha _0(t_1)||\alpha _0(t_2)|e^{\mu (t_1,t_2)}`$ (82)
$`\times [e^{\mathrm{\Lambda }(t_1,t_2)}\mathrm{cos}[\mathrm{\Phi }(t_1)+\mathrm{\Phi }(t_2)+\gamma \stackrel{~}{h}(t_2t_1)]`$
$`+e^{\mathrm{\Lambda }(t_1,t_2)}\mathrm{cos}[\mathrm{\Phi }(t_1)\mathrm{\Phi }(t_2)]],`$
$`\xi _Y(t_1,t_2)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}\delta (t_2t_1){\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}|\alpha _0(t_1)||\alpha _0(t_2)|e^{\mu (t_1,t_2)}`$ (85)
$`\times [e^{\mathrm{\Lambda }(t_1,t_2)}\mathrm{cos}[\mathrm{\Phi }(t_1)+\mathrm{\Phi }(t_2)+\gamma \stackrel{~}{h}(t_2t_1)]`$
$`e^{\mathrm{\Lambda }(t_1,t_2)}\mathrm{cos}[\mathrm{\Phi }(t_1)\mathrm{\Phi }(t_2)]],`$
where $`\mathrm{\Lambda }(t_1,t_2)=\mu (t_1,t_2)\stackrel{~}{h}(t_2t_1)`$ (see (58)). As a result for the correlation functions of quadratures we have:

$`R_X(t,t`$ $`+`$ $`\tau )={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[\delta (\tau )`$ (86)
$``$ $`\psi _0\rho (t)\rho (t+\tau )h(\tau )\mathrm{sin}[\mathrm{\Phi }(t)+\mathrm{\Phi }(t+\tau )]`$ (87)
$`+`$ $`\psi _0^2\rho (t)\rho (t+\tau )g(t,\tau )\mathrm{sin}\mathrm{\Phi }(t)\mathrm{sin}\mathrm{\Phi }(t+\tau )],`$ (88)
$`R_Y(t,t`$ $`+`$ $`\tau )={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[\delta (\tau )`$ (89)
$`+`$ $`\psi _0\rho (t)\rho (t+\tau )h(\tau )\mathrm{sin}[\mathrm{\Phi }(t)+\mathrm{\Phi }(t+\tau )]`$ (90)
$`+`$ $`\psi _0^2\rho (t)\rho (t+\tau )g(t,\tau )\mathrm{cos}\mathrm{\Phi }(t)\mathrm{cos}\mathrm{\Phi }(t+\tau )],`$ (91)
where

$$g(t,\tau )=\rho ^2(t+\tau /2)g(\tau ).$$
(92)
To obtain (88) and (91) the $`\gamma 1`$ and $`\tau _r\tau _p`$ approximations have been used.

## V THE SPECTRUM OF QUANTUM FLUCTUATIONS OF QUADRATURE COMPONENTS

Spectral densities of fluctuations of the quadratures are defined by the following expressions:

$`S_X(\omega ,t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}R_X(t,t+\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }𝑑\tau ,`$ (93)
$`S_Y(\omega ,t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}R_Y(t,t+\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }𝑑\tau .`$ (94)
Taking into account the weak change of the envelope during the relaxation time one obtains:

$`S_X(\omega ,t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[1\psi _0\rho ^2(t)\mathrm{sin}2\mathrm{\Phi }(t){\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}h(\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }d\tau `$ (96)
$`+\psi _0^2\rho ^4(t)\mathrm{sin}^2\mathrm{\Phi }(t){\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}g(\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }d\tau ],`$
$`S_Y(\omega ,t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[1+\psi _0\rho ^2(t)\mathrm{sin}2\mathrm{\Phi }(t){\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}h(\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }d\tau `$ (98)
$`+\psi _0^2\rho ^4(t)\mathrm{cos}^2\mathrm{\Phi }(t){\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}g(\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }d\tau ].`$
The estimation of integrals in (96),(98) gives us

$`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}h(\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }𝑑\tau `$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{2}{1+(\omega \tau _r)^2}}=2L(\mathrm{\Omega }),`$ (99)
$`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}g(\tau )e^{i\omega \tau }𝑑\tau `$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{4}{[1+(\omega \tau _r)^2]^2}}=4L^2(\mathrm{\Omega }),`$ (100)
where $`\mathrm{\Omega }=\omega \tau _r`$. Hence

$`S_X(\mathrm{\Omega },t)={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[1`$ $``$ $`2\psi (t)L(\mathrm{\Omega })\mathrm{sin}2\mathrm{\Phi }(t)`$ (102)
$`+4\psi ^2(t)L^2(\mathrm{\Omega })\mathrm{sin}^2\mathrm{\Phi }(t)],`$
$`S_Y(\mathrm{\Omega },t)={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[1`$ $`+`$ $`2\psi (t)L(\mathrm{\Omega })\mathrm{sin}2\mathrm{\Phi }(t)`$ (104)
$`+4\psi ^2(t)L^2(\mathrm{\Omega })\mathrm{cos}^2\mathrm{\Phi }(t)],`$
where $`\psi (t)=2\gamma |\alpha _0(t)|^2`$. From (102) and (104) follows that the choice of the phase $`\mathrm{\Phi }(t)`$ determines the level of quantum fluctuations lower and higher than the shot-noise level $`S_X(\omega )=S_Y(\omega )=1/4`$, corresponding to the coherent state of the initial pulse. In conformity with the Heisenberg relation the behaviour of the spectrum of the $`X`$-quadrature appears to be moved with a phase $`\pi /2`$ in comparison with $`Y`$-quadrature. In case of an optimal phase of the initial pulse

$$\phi _0(t)=\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{arctan}\left[\frac{1}{\psi (t)L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)}\right]\psi (t)$$
(105)
chosen for the frequency $`\mathrm{\Omega }_0=\omega _0\tau _r`$, spectral densities

$`S_X(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)L^2(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)}\psi (t)L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)]^2,`$ (106)
$`S_Y(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}[\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)L^2(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)}+\psi (t)L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)]^2.`$ (107)
Eqs.(106),(107) indicate that when the nonlinear phase addition $`\psi (t)`$ increases $`S_X(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)`$ monotonously decreases and $`S_Y(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)`$ monotonously increases. At any frequency $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ we have

$`S`$ $`{}_{X}{}^{}(\mathrm{\Omega },t)=S_X(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\psi (t)[L(\mathrm{\Omega })L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)]`$ (108)
$`\times `$ $`\{[L(\mathrm{\Omega })+L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)]\psi (t)[1+(L(\mathrm{\Omega })+L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0))L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)\psi ^2(t)]`$ (110)
$`\times [1+\psi ^2(t)L^2(\mathrm{\Omega })]^{1/2}\},`$
$`S`$ $`{}_{Y}{}^{}(\mathrm{\Omega },t)=S_Y(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)+{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}\psi (t)[L(\mathrm{\Omega })L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)]`$ (111)
$`\times `$ $`\{[L(\mathrm{\Omega })+L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)]\psi (t)+[1+(L(\mathrm{\Omega })+L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0))L(\mathrm{\Omega }_0)\psi ^2(t)]`$ (113)
$`\times [1+\psi ^2(t)L^2(\mathrm{\Omega })]^{1/2}\},`$
The spectra of $`X`$-quadrature component, calculated by the formula (110), at $`t=0`$ ($`\psi (0)=\psi _0`$) for the cases $`\mathrm{\Omega }_0=0(\omega _0=0)`$, $`\mathrm{\Omega }_0=1(\omega _0=\tau _r^1)`$ are presented in Figs. 1,2 respectively. On Fig. 1 one can see that for $`\omega _0=0`$ spectral density of $`X`$-quadrature component is minimal on frequency $`\omega =0`$ for any values of phase $`\psi _0`$. For $`\omega _00`$ (Fig. 2) and phases $`\psi _0>1`$ the minimum of the fluctuation spectrum of $`X`$-quadrature component lies at frequencies $`\mathrm{\Omega }=1(\omega =\tau _r^1)`$, and for $`\psi _0<1`$ the minimum lies near $`\mathrm{\Omega }0(\omega 0)`$.

## VI THE WIDTH OF THE SPECTRUM OF SQUEEZED QUADRATURE

From Fig. 1 one can conclude that the frequency where spectral density of ”-quadrature fluctuations” is lower than the shot-noise level, depends on the nonlinear phase addition $`\psi _0`$. Width of the spectrum below the shot-noise level $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }=\tau _r\mathrm{\Delta }\omega `$ should be defined from

$$S_X(\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega },t)=\frac{1}{2}[\frac{1}{4}+S_X(\mathrm{\Omega }_0,t)].$$
(114)
Accounting (106,110) for $`\mathrm{\Omega }_0=0`$ from (114) we have:

$`2\psi (t)[\psi (t)`$ $``$ $`\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)}]L^2(\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega })+2L(\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega })`$ (115)
$`+`$ $`\psi (t)\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)}\psi ^2(t)1=0.`$ (116)
Eq.(116) in $`L(\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega })`$ (see (99,100)) has two solution of which only one is real. Solving the (116) for $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }`$ we get:

$`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }`$ $`=`$ $`[{\displaystyle \frac{2\psi (t)[\psi (t)\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)}]}{1+\sqrt{12\psi (t)[\psi (t)\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)}]}}}`$ (118)
$`\times {\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{[\psi (t)\sqrt{1+\psi ^2(t)}\psi ^2(t)1]}}}1]^{1/2}.`$
From (118) it follows that the change of $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }`$ is connected with changes in pulse’s envelope. The frequency band in which the spectral density of the quadrature fluctuations is lower than the shot-noise level depends on the nonlinear phase shift $`\psi (t)`$. The corresponding dependence at $`t=0`$ for $`\omega =0`$ is displayed in Fig. 3. It may be noted that at $`\psi _01`$ width of the spectrum below the shot noise level is one and a half width of the spectral response of nonlinearity.

## VII PHOTON NUMBER SPECTRAL“DENSITY” OF PULSES WITH SELF-PHASE MODULATION

The spectral photon number operator is defined by

$$\widehat{n}(\omega ,z)=\widehat{a}^+(\omega ,z)\widehat{a}(\omega ,z),$$
(119)
where:

$`\widehat{a}(\omega ,z)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi }\tau _p}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\widehat{A}(t,z)e^{i\omega t}𝑑t,`$ (120)
$`\widehat{a}^+(\omega ,z)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi }\tau _p}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\widehat{A}^+(t,z)e^{i\omega t}𝑑t.`$ (121)
Taking into account (120,121) and (25,26) for photon number spectral “density” (119) we find:

$`\overline{n}(\omega ,z)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2\pi \tau _p^2}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}\widehat{A}_0^+(t_1)e^{\widehat{O}^+(t_1)+\widehat{O}(t_2)}\widehat{A}_0(t_2)`$ (123)
$`\times e^{i\omega (t_2t_1)}dt_1dt_2{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{n}_0}{2\pi }}{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\tau _p^2}}|𝐈|^2,`$
where

$$𝐈=_{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}\rho (t)\mathrm{exp}\left\{i\left[\psi _0\rho ^2(t)+\phi (t)+\omega t\right]\right\}𝑑t.$$
(124)
The last expression in (123) is written without the account of $`\mu (t_1,t_2)`$ and $`\text{K}(t_1,t_2)`$ (see (61)). If the initial pulse has gaussian form $`\rho (t)=\mathrm{exp}\{t^2/2\tau _p^2\}`$ then, using paraxial approximation ($`\rho ^2(t)1t^2/\tau _p^2`$)  in (124) for spectral density (123) we find

$$\overline{n}_{class}(\mathrm{\Omega },z)=\frac{\overline{n}_0}{\sqrt{1+4\psi _0^2}}\mathrm{exp}\left[\frac{\mathrm{\Omega }^2}{1+4\psi _0^2}\right],$$
(125)
where $`\mathrm{\Omega }=\omega \tau _p`$. From (125) it follows that the spectral density of a pulse with self-phase modulation (SPM-USP) decreases when nonlinear phase addition increases. To calculate (125) in (123) the terms $`\mu (t_1,t_2)`$ and $`K(t_1,t_2)`$ have not been taken into account. In consequence, the spectral density (125) does not depend on relaxation time. If we take the relaxation function of nonlinearity as

$$\text{H}(\theta )=\frac{1}{\tau _r}\mathrm{exp}\left\{\frac{\theta ^2}{2\tau _r^2}\right\}$$
(126)
then $`\text{K}(t,t+\tau )=\mu _0\rho ^2(t+\tau /2)\mathrm{exp}\{\tau ^2/4\tau _r^2\}`$. Using the expression $`\text{K}(t,t+\tau )`$ in (123) in paraxial approximation we have

$`\overline{n}(\mathrm{\Omega },z)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{n}_0}{\left[\left(1+\gamma \psi _0\nu ^2/4\right)^2+4\psi _0^2\right]^{1/2}}}`$ (128)
$`\times \mathrm{exp}\left[{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }^2\left(1+\gamma \psi _0\nu ^2/4\right)}{\left(1+\gamma \psi _0\nu ^2/4\right)^2+4\psi _0^2}}\right],`$
where $`\nu =\tau _p/\tau _r`$. From (128) one can conclude that the spectral density depends on the nonlinear phase addition and on the relation between the pulse duration and the relaxation time of the nonlinearity.

## VIII THE CORRELATION FUNCTION OF SPECTRAL COMPONENTS OF SPM-USPs

We introduce the correlation function of different spectral components in the following symmetric form:

$`R(\omega _1,\omega _2,z)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}[\widehat{n}(\omega _1,z)\widehat{n}(\omega _2,z)+\widehat{n}(\omega _2,z)\widehat{n}(\omega _1,z)`$ (130)
$`2\widehat{n}(\omega _1,z)\widehat{n}(\omega _2,z)].`$
Leaving out the preliminary accounts for (130) we obtain

$$R(\omega _1,\omega _2,z)=I_1\delta (\omega _2\omega _1)\frac{1}{2}\psi _0Im\{I_2^{}I_3+I_2I_3^{}\},$$
(131)
$`I_1={\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}`$ $`\stackrel{~}{\rho }(t_1,t_2)\mathrm{exp}\{i[\psi ^2(t_1)\psi ^2(t_2)]\}`$ (134)
$`\times \mathrm{exp}i[\omega _1t_1\omega _2t_2]dt_1dt_2,`$
$`I_2={\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}`$ $`\stackrel{~}{\rho }(t_1,t_2)\mathrm{exp}\{i[\psi ^2(t_1)+\psi ^2(t_2)]\}`$ (136)
$`\times \mathrm{exp}\{i[\omega _1t_1+\omega _2t_2]\}dt_1dt_2,`$
$`I_3={\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{}}^{\mathrm{}}}`$ $`\stackrel{~}{q}(t_1,t_2)\mathrm{exp}\{i[\psi ^2(t_1)+\psi ^2(t_2)]\}`$ (138)
$`\times \mathrm{exp}\{i[\omega _1t_1+\omega _2t_2]\}dt_1dt_2.`$
$`\stackrel{~}{\rho }(t_1,t_2)=\rho (t_1)\rho (t_2)`$, $`\stackrel{~}{q}(t_1,t_2)=\stackrel{~}{\rho }(t_1,t_2)\stackrel{~}{h}(t_2t_1)`$. If the initial pulse has gaussian form and the relaxation function has the form (126) then in paraxial approximation  for correlation function (131) we find

$$R(\mathrm{\Omega }_1,\mathrm{\Omega }_2,z)=I_1\delta (\mathrm{\Omega }_1\mathrm{\Omega }_2)\frac{\psi _0}{2\stackrel{~}{\alpha }\sqrt{\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}Im\{\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_1,\mathrm{\Omega }_2)\},$$
(139)
$$I_1=[n_{class}(\mathrm{\Omega }_1)n_{class}(\mathrm{\Omega }_2)]^{1/2}\mathrm{exp}\{i\psi _0\frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{1+4\psi _0^2}\}.$$
(140)
In (139) are entered the following designations:

$$\mathrm{\Omega }=\omega \tau _p,\stackrel{~}{\alpha }=\left[1+4\psi _0^2\right]^{1/2},$$
(141)
$$\stackrel{~}{\beta }=[1+2\nu ^24\psi _0^2)^2+16(1+\nu ^2)^2\psi _0^2]^{1/2},$$
(142)
$$\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_1,\mathrm{\Omega }_2)=\mathrm{exp}\{G+iS\}+\mathrm{exp}\{E+iF\},$$
(143)
$$Im\mathrm{\Gamma }(\mathrm{\Omega }_1,\mathrm{\Omega }_2)=e^G\mathrm{sin}S+e^E\mathrm{sin}F,$$
(144)
$`G`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2+\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\alpha }}}\mathrm{cos}ϵ{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\varrho }}\mathrm{cos}\mathrm{\Sigma }{\displaystyle \frac{\varrho \mathrm{\Omega }_1^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{cos}(\mathrm{\Sigma }\xi )`$ (147)
$`{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1\mathrm{\Omega }_2}{\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\nu ^2\mathrm{cos}\xi {\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2\nu ^4}{2\varrho \stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{cos}(\mathrm{\Sigma }+\xi ),`$
$`S`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2+\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\alpha }}}\mathrm{sin}ϵ+{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\varrho }}\mathrm{sin}\mathrm{\Sigma }{\displaystyle \frac{\varrho \mathrm{\Omega }_1^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{sin}(\mathrm{\Sigma }\xi )`$ (149)
$`+{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1\mathrm{\Omega }_2}{\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\nu ^2\mathrm{sin}\xi +{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2\nu ^4}{2\varrho \stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{sin}(\mathrm{\Sigma }+\xi )(ϵ+{\displaystyle \frac{\xi }{2}}),`$
$`E`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2+\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\alpha }}}\mathrm{cos}ϵ{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2}{2\varrho }}\mathrm{cos}\mathrm{\Sigma }{\displaystyle \frac{\varrho \mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{cos}(\mathrm{\Sigma }\xi )`$ (151)
$`{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1\mathrm{\Omega }_2}{\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\nu ^2\mathrm{cos}\xi {\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2\nu ^4}{2\varrho \stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{cos}(\mathrm{\Sigma }+\xi ),`$
$`F`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2+\mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\alpha }}}\mathrm{sin}ϵ+{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2}{2\varrho }}\mathrm{sin}\mathrm{\Sigma }{\displaystyle \frac{\varrho \mathrm{\Omega }_2^2}{2\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{sin}(\mathrm{\Sigma }\xi )`$ (153)
$`+{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1\mathrm{\Omega }_2}{\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\nu ^2\mathrm{sin}\xi +{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Omega }_1^2\nu ^4}{2\varrho \stackrel{~}{\beta }}}\mathrm{sin}(\mathrm{\Sigma }+\xi )(ϵ+{\displaystyle \frac{\xi }{2}}),`$
$`\varrho `$ $`=`$ $`\left[(1+\nu ^2)^2+4\psi _0^2\right]^{1/2},`$ (154)
$`ϵ`$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{arctan}\left\{2\psi _0\right\},`$ (155)
$`\xi `$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{arctan}\left\{{\displaystyle \frac{4(1+\nu ^2)\psi _0}{1+2\nu ^24\psi _0^2}}\right\},`$ (156)
$`\mathrm{\Sigma }`$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{arctan}\left\{{\displaystyle \frac{2\psi _0}{1+\nu ^2}}\right\}.`$ (157)
We define the spectral correlation function of the photons with frequency $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ in the spectral band $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }`$

$`\stackrel{~}{R}_{\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }}(\mathrm{\Omega },z)`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }/2}^{\mathrm{\Omega }+\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }/2}}{\displaystyle _{\mathrm{\Omega }\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }/2}^{\mathrm{\Omega }+\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }/2}}R(\mathrm{\Omega }_1,\mathrm{\Omega }_2,z)𝑑\mathrm{\Omega }_1𝑑\mathrm{\Omega }_2`$ (159)
$`\overline{n}_0.`$
As a consequence, the conclusion which one can make is that for $`\stackrel{~}{R}(\mathrm{\Omega },z)<0`$ take place the photon antibunching and for $`\stackrel{~}{R}(\mathrm{\Omega },z)>0`$ the photon bunching.

The graphic dependence of the spectral correlation function (159) on $`\psi _0`$ at $`\mathrm{\Omega }=0.04`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }=2.510^3`$ and $`\nu =10`$ is displayed in Fig.4, whence it follows that the photon bunching or antibunching can take place, and for phases $`\psi _0>1`$ it becomes significant.

At frequency $`\mathrm{\Omega }=0`$, the correlation function (see (159)) has the following simplified form:

$$\stackrel{~}{R}_{\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }}(0,z)=\frac{\psi _0}{2\stackrel{~}{\alpha }\sqrt{\stackrel{~}{\beta }}}(\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega })^2\mathrm{sin}\left(ϵ+\frac{\xi }{2}\right),$$
(160)
and its dependence on $`\psi _0`$ at $`\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{\Omega }=0.75`$ is shown in Fig. 5, whence it follows that the minimum of the spectral correlation function lies near $`\psi _01`$. In this case the photon antibunching takes place for all phases $`\psi _0>0`$ and it is maximal for $`\psi _01`$. It may be mentioned that the greater is the spectral band of measurement the stronger is the photon bunching or antibunching.

## DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The results presented in the present paper can be used for the correct interpretation of the results of experiments , in which the laser pulses with the duration of the order $`100`$ ps and quartz optical fibres were used and the maximal meaning of nonlinear phase shift $`\psi _0`$ was greater than $`1`$. Certainly, in the measurement of the quadrature spectrum the suppression of quantum fluctuations of a pulse will be smoothed out (see (110)). This time over which the “smoothing out” occurs in the case of balanced homodyne detection  is determined by the duration of the heterodyne pulse.

The developed theory enables the choice of the optimal strategy at producing and registration of ultrashort pulses in a squeezed states. The measurement of quantum fluctuation of short pulses take place at high frequencies of the order of several tens MHz in order to avoid any effects due to technical fluctuation concentrated at low frequencies. However, in this area the suppression of quantum fluctuations is greatest. The presented results show that by adjusting the phase of the signal pulse (or the phase of a heterodyne pulse), maximal suppression of the quantum fluctuations can be realized at the spectral component of interest for us. This spectral component of interest can lie on the wing of the spectral response of nonlinearity (Fig. 2). This means, that for obtaining squeezed-light pulses the nonlinear media with a longer relaxation time and consequently with the greater nonlinearity can be used .

Our results suggest that in the spectral measurements the photon antibunching can be observed. Usually, in the experiments spectral devices with confined spectral bands are used, thus limiting the amplitude of vacuum fluctuations which participate in the measurements. The final results show that the spectral correlation function depends on the nonlinear phase addition, the relation between the pulse duration and the relaxation time of the nonlinearity and also on the spectral band of the measurement. In consequence the choice of the width of the spectral band of measurement can represent an effective method of control of the photon bunching or antibunching. The obtained results indicate that the photon antibunching can be observed at any value of nonlinear phase addition in the low frequency measurements. At high frequency measurements the photon bunching or antibunching strongly depends on the nonlinear phase additions.

We note that the approach developed in the present article can be used to analyse the formation of polarization-squeezed light in media with a cubic nonlinearity. This will be treated in a future publication.

## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

F.P. is grateful to S. Codoban (JINR, Dubna) for useful discussions and rendered help. The work has been performed with partial financial support from Programme ”Fundamental Metrology”.


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# Magellanic-Cloud-Type Interstellar Dust Along Low Density Sightlines in the Galaxy

## 1. Introduction

There is an average Milky Way extinction relation, A($`\lambda `$)/A(V), over the wavelength range 0.125 $`\mu `$m to 3.5 $`\mu `$m, which is applicable to a wide range of interstellar dust environments, including lines of sight through diffuse dust, and dark cloud dust, as well as dust associated with star formation (Cardelli, Clayton, & Mathis 1989 (CCM); Cardelli & Clayton 1991; Mathis & Cardelli 1992; Fitzpatrick 1999). The existence of this relation, valid over a large wavelength interval, suggests that the environmental processes which modify the grains are efficient and affect all grains. The CCM relation depends on only one parameter, the ratio of total-to-selective extinction, RV which is a crude measure of the size distribution of interstellar dust grains.

However, the CCM relation does not appear to apply beyond the Milky Way. It does not always fit the observed extinction along sightlines observed in the Magellanic Clouds and M31 (e.g., Clayton & Martin 1985; Fitzpatrick 1985, 1986; Clayton et al. 1996; Bianchi et al. 1996; Gordon & Clayton 1998; Misselt, Clayton, & Gordon 1999). The 2175 Å bump is weaker and the far-UV extinction is steeper in many of the Magellanic cloud sightlines but there are also sightlines in both the LMC and SMC where the dust extinction does follow CCM. The few lines of sight studied in M31 seem to show a CCM-like far-UV extinction and a weak 2175 Å bump (Bianchi et al. 1996). On the other hand, the starburst nucleus of M33 appears to be associated with Milky-Way-type dust (Gordon et al. 1999). The variations in extinction properties seen in the Magellanic Clouds and M31 may be due to several factors. Different environments, such as star formation regions where large amounts of UV radiation and shocks are present, may play a large role in processing dust. Evidence for this can be seen in the LMC where two distinct wavelength dependences of UV extinction have been found for dust inside and outside the supergiant shell, LMC 2, which lies on the southeast side of 30 Dor. This structure was formed by the combined stellar winds and supernovae explosions from the stellar association at its center (Misselt et al. 1999). In the SMC, the dust properties are even more extreme, showing extinction curves for three of four sightlines which have virtually no bump and are very steep in the far-UV (Gordon & Clayton 1998). Although the dust responsible for these curves is located near regions of star formation in the SMC, the environment is likely to be less severe than for the LMC 2 dust. The 30 Dor region, where LMC 2 is located, is a much larger star forming region than any in the SMC. The dust environments in starburst galaxies and QSOs, which also show SMC-like extinction, are much more extreme than 30 Dor (e.g., Gordon, Calzetti, & Witt 1997; Pitman, Clayton & Gordon 2000; Gordon, Smith & Clayton 2000). The SMC has star formation occurring at only 1% the rate of a starburst galaxy so other factors such as the known differences in metallicity between galaxies may be important (Fitzpatrick 1986; Gordon & Clayton 1998; Misselt et al. 1999).

Setting aside global metallicity differences, are there sightlines in the Galaxy where the dust environment is similar to those seen in the Magellanic clouds? Real deviations from CCM are seen in the Galaxy but deviations of the kind seen in the Magellanic clouds have been seen only rarely (Cardelli & Clayton 1991; Mathis & Cardelli 1992). A few sightlines (e.g., 62542, 204827, and 210121) show weak bumps and anomalously strong far-UV extinction for their measured values of $`R_V`$. Their extinction curves are plotted in Figure 1. These deviant sightlines represent a variety of dust environments. The Galactic sightline toward HD 62542 is somewhat similar to LMC 2. Its dust was swept up by bubbles blown by two nearby O stars (Cardelli & Savage 1988). HD 204827 is also in a star formation region where the dust has been subject to shocks (Clayton & Fitzpatrick 1987). HD 210121 lies behind a single cloud in the halo. There is no present activity near this cloud although it was ejected into the halo at some time in the past. There are some important differences between these Galactic extinction curves and those in the Magellanic clouds. The bump seen for HD 62542 is not just weak but it is very broad and shifted to the blue (Cardelli & Savage 1988). Mantles on the bump grains has been suggested as the reason for the weak, broad, and shifted Galactic bumps (Mathis & Cardelli 1992; Mathis 1994). These sightlines show that dust in a variety of environments with a range of $`R_V`$ values can have extinction curves similar to those in the LMC. However, none of the anomalous Galactic sightlines, seen in Figure 1, approach the SMC extinction properties. The SMC dust has weaker bumps and steeper far-UV extinction than any known Galactic or LMC sightline.

Most of the Galactic sightlines, that have been studied previously, differ in one respect from the LMC and SMC sightlines. They are significantly more reddened than the Magellanic cloud sightlines. In particular, those sightlines showing the greatest deviations from CCM, those near the supershell LMC 2 and those in the SMC, all have E(B-V) $`<`$ 0.25. Of the twenty-nine CCM sightlines only two have E(B-V) $`<`$ 0.30. The others range up to E(B-V) = 1.2. Similarly, the Fitzpatrick & Massa sample of eighty stars includes only seven with E(B-V) $`<`$ 0.30 (Fitzpatrick & Massa 1990; Fitzpatrick 1999). Therefore, the dust along the Magellanic cloud sightlines is more diffuse and more representative of the warm intercloud medium than the cold cloud medium which is better represented in the Galactic samples.

Kiszkurno-Koziej & Lequeux (1987) suggest from ANS extinction measurements of 1200 stars in the Galaxy that there may be a correlation between UV extinction parameters and distance from the Galactic plane. As $`|z|`$ increases, the bump becomes weaker and the far-UV extinction stronger. These sightlines have low reddenings and long sightlines so they are also more diffuse and therefore more like those in the Magellanic clouds. To investigate whether the extinction properties observed in the Magellanic clouds are related to the diffuse nature of the sightlines, a sample of long sightlines with low reddenings in the Galaxy was chosen and UV data were obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) so that extinction curves could be constructed.

## 2. The Sample

Sembach, Danks, & Savage (1993) obtained high resolution Na I D and Ca II K spectra for a sample of distant (d $`>`$ 1 kpc) stars. These sightlines were selected to investigate the distribution and physical conditions of gas located in low density regions of the Galactic disk and halo. The sightlines listed in Table 1 were selected from the Sembach et al. sample for a complementary study of the UV extinction properties of interstellar dust in low density conditions. The Sembach et al. sample is limited to stars with spectral types between O8 and B3 which makes them ideal for extinction studies. Following the definitions of Sembach et al. the sightlines in Table 1 lie outside the Sagittarius spiral arm (IA1), between the Sagittarius and Scutum-Crux spiral arms (IA2), beyond the Scutum-Crux arm toward the Galactic center (GC), and the inner 4 kpc of the Galaxy (IGC). The stars lie at distances ranging from 1.5 to 9.5 kpc and have heights above or below the plane of 0 to 1.5 kpc. Twelve of the sightlines extend into the Galactic halo, defined as $`|z|`$ $`>`$ 500 pc . The locations of these stars in the Galaxy are plotted in Figure 1 of Sembach et al. (1993).

## 3. Extinction Curves

Low dispersion short and long wavelength IUE spectra were obtained between 1991 and 1994 by Jason Cardelli. The spectra listed in Table 2 were downloaded from the IUE archive. The archive spectra were reduced using NEWSIPS and then were recalibrated using the method developed by Massa & Fitzpatrick (2000). The short and long wavelength spectra for each star were co-added, binned to the instrumental resolution ($``$ 5 Å) and merged at the maximum wavelength of the short wavelength spectrum.

Extinction curves were constructed using the standard pair method (e.g., Massa, Savage & Fitzpatrick 1983). Uncertainties in the extinction curves contain terms that depend both on the broadband photometric uncertainties as well as those in the IUE fluxes, which are calculated directly in NEWSIPS. Our error analysis is described in detail in Gordon & Clayton (1998). The sample includes early type supergiants which may be used with the same accuracy as main sequence stars in calculating extinction (Cardelli, Sembach, & Mathis 1992). We required $`\mathrm{\Delta }(BV)0.14`$ between the reddened and comparison stars to minimize the uncertainties. The comparison stars have been dereddened as described by Cardelli et al. (1992). Table 1 lists a value of E(B-V) for each star from Sembach et al. (1993). Table 2 lists the $`\mathrm{\Delta }(BV)`$ between the measured (B-V) of the reddened star and the $`(BV)_o`$ of the best-match dereddened comparison star. The extinction curves for the sample stars are shown in Figure 2.

The extinction curves have been fitted using the Fitzpatrick & Massa (1990, hereafter FM) parameterization. They have developed an analytical representation of the shape of the extinction curves using a small number of parameters. This was done using linear combinations of a Drude bump profile, $`D(x;\gamma ,x_o)`$, a linear background and a far-UV curvature function, $`F(x)`$, where $`x=\lambda ^1`$. There are 6 parameters determined in the fit: The strength, central wavelength, and width of the bump, $`c_3`$, $`x_o`$, and $`\gamma `$, the slope and intercept of the linear background, $`c_1`$ and $`c_2`$, and the strength of the far-UV curvature, $`c_4`$. The FM fits to individual extinction curves are plotted in Figure 2 and the best fit parameters for each curve are given in Table 3.

Near-infrared photometry exists for a few of the reddened stars in our sample. For these stars, using JHK photometry, we calculated values of RV. Due the small values of E(B-V) for our sample stars, the uncertainties in RV are relatively large. Within these uncertainties, most are consistent with the typical diffuse dust value of 3.1. There is no trend with position on the sky discernible with the small number of sightlines having measured $`R_V`$ values.

## 4. Discussion

The sightlines in our sample cover very long distances and have relatively low reddenings so the average densities are amongst the lowest known (Sembach et al. 1993). The measured values for $`n_o`$(H I) (= N(H I)sin$`|b|`$/h(H I) where h(H I) is the scale height of H I) are listed in Table 1. The parameter, $`n_o`$(H I), is a measure of average density along a sightline (Sembach et al. 1993). Typically, when $`n_o`$(H I) $`<`$ 0.42 $`cm^3`$, no large cold clouds are present along the line of sight (Sembach et al. 1993). All the stars in Table 1 satisfy this criterion. In addition, the warm intercloud medium dominates over the diffuse cold cloud medium if $`n_o`$(H I) $`<`$ 0.2 $`cm^3`$. Most of the stars in Table 1 satisfy this criterion or come close to it. The ratio of the column density of Ca II to Na I, also listed in Table 1, is another measure of the relative contributions of cloud and intercloud medium. Na I is relatively stronger in clouds while Ca II is relatively strong in the diffuse ISM. This is due to the strong variation in the calcium depletion from the gas phase into dust grains (Sembach & Danks 1994; Crinklaw, Federman, & Joseph 1994). The depletion is higher inside clouds and lower outside where the harsher environment including sputtering and grain collisions will return calcium to the gas phase. The wide range in N(Ca II)/N(Na I) indicates that the cloud/inter-cloud fraction varies strongly from one sightline to another. The absorption features along these lines of sight show multiple components indicating that the distribution of gas is patchy. The average number of components or clouds is 1.5 kpc-1 for Na I and 2.0 kpc-1 for Ca II (Sembach & Danks 1994). Using these values and the measured reddening, the average E(B-V) per cloud is 0.05 mag which is typical for standard diffuse clouds (Spitzer 1978). Similarly, the average H I column density per cloud is 2.3 x 1020 cm -2. It is likely that most of these sightlines are dominated by warm intercloud medium and have little contribution from the cold cloud medium.

Figure 2 shows that even for extremely diffuse sightlines such as those in our sample, most extinction curves still follow CCM with $`R_V`$ = 3.1. However, there is a subsample of these sightlines whose extinction curves show weak bumps and very steep far-UV extinction similar to the Magellanic clouds. These sightlines all lie in one region of the sky in the direction of the Galactic center. This region (Sembach & Danks 1994 (hereafter the SD region)) coincides with an area of Galactic longitude, l=325o to 0o, where large forbidden velocities have been observed in the gas. Figure 3 shows bump strength plotted against far-UV steepness for our sample extinction curves. The bump strength can be quantified as the area under the bump using the FM parameters to be $`\pi c_3/2\gamma `$ (Fitzpatrick & Massa 1986). The steepness of the far-UV extinction can be characterized using the FM parameter, $`c_2`$, which represents the slope of the linear background. Seven of the nine sightlines lying in the SD region have the largest values of $`c_2`$ in our sample. Six of these sightlines also have bump strengths below the Galactic average. The sightlines in our sample outside the SD region have values of bump strength and $`c_2`$ grouped around the Galactic average. As can be seen in Figure 3, the SD region extinction parameters fall roughly along a line running from the average Galactic values through the LMC and LMC 2 averages to the those seen in the SMC. This is a promising result as it indicates that whatever factors are affecting the dust properties in the Magellanic clouds may also be affecting the low density dust in the Milky Way. As discussed below, the two SD-region stars which appear in the upper left-hand corner of Figure 3 do not share the extinction properties of the rest of the SD region sample.

The locations of the stars in our sample are plotted in Figure 4. We have separated sightlines according to the steepness of the far-UV extinction as measured by $`c_2`$ and also the ratio, N(Ca II)/N(Na I), which measures the relative fraction of cloud and intercloud medium along a sightline. A high value indicates a high fraction of intercloud medium. All of the sightlines in Table 1 with both N(Ca II)/N(Na I) $`>`$ 0.62 and $`c_2>`$ 1.02 lie in the SD region. Figure 5 shows height above or below the Galactic plane plotted against distance in the plane for the stars in the SD region. Figures 4 and 5 clearly show the anomalous extinction is seen only for stars in one particular direction. The two stars in the SD region, that do not share the anomalous extinction of the other sightlines, provide information on the location of this dust. HD 151805 has b= 1.59o so its sightline does not go below the Galactic plane as do the other stars in the sample. HD 161653 lies at a distance of 1.8 kpc and is, by far, the closest star in the l=325o to 0o region. So the dust responsible for the Magellanic-cloud-like extinction lies further than about 2 kpc and in a direction defined by 325$`{}_{}{}^{o}l0^o`$ and -5$`{}_{}{}^{o}b11^o`$. In fact, the four sightlines with the steepest extinction, HD 158243, 160993, 163522, and 164340, most resembling the SMC extinction, lie in an even smaller region bounded by 337$`{}_{}{}^{o}l352^o`$ and -8$`{}_{}{}^{o}b11^o`$. These four stars also have the lowest reddenings. So the remaining three less-extreme sightlines are likely a combination of clouds including more CCM-like dust as well. Kennedy, Bates, & Kemp (1998) give a nice analysis of the absorption components in this direction of the sky including the sightline to HD 163522 (l = 349.6, b = -9.1, d= 9.4 kpc). In their picture, nearby clouds at 50 pc, 100 pc to 1 kpc, the Sagittarius (1.5-2 kpc) and Scutum-Crux (3 kpc) spiral arms all provide absorption components with negative or small positive velocities. They identify peculiar velocity gas corresponding to the forbidden velocities of +10-50 km s-1 found by Sembach & Danks (1994). These forbidden velocities differ significantly from those expected purely from Galactic rotation. The origin and distance of this gas is not well known. Higher ionization ions are associated with this gas indicating that it may be associated with a Galactic fountain or worm (Savage, Massa, & Sembach 1990; Savage, Sembach, & Cardelli 1994).

The extinction curves for the sightlines inside and outside of the SD region are plotted together in Figure 6. Two sightlines, toward HD 151805 and 161653, in the SD region show normal CCM ($`R_V`$ = 3.1) extinction. As discussed above, the dust along those sightlines is not located in the same volume of space with the SD type dust so they are plotted with the non-SD-region sample in Figure 6. The average SD-region curve (again not including HD 151805 and 161653) is plotted in Figure 7 along with the average Milky Way and Magellanic cloud curves for comparison. The average SD-region curve most resembles the HD 62542 and 210121 curves, seen in Figure 1, as well as the LMC 2 curve. The four steepest SD-region curves resemble the SMC Bar curve in the far-UV but still have stronger bump strengths. These curves show little or no slope change from the near to the far-UV while most other curves seen in Figures 1 and 7 tend to turn up steeply to the blue of the bump.

The environments of the LMC 2 and HD 62542 dust may be quite similar to the SD region dust. All are in diffuse regions subject to shocks and strong UV radiation fields. The sightline to HD 210121 contains one quiescent cloud with E(B-V) =0.40. However, this cloud is located in the halo and shows UV extinction quite similar to the that seen in the SD region. Calcium is heavily depleted indicating that grain destruction has not been an important mechanism in producing the unusual extinction (Welty & Fowler 1992). The low optical depth of the Magellanic sightlines implies that the dust is not well shielded from these environmental pressures. The typical molecular cloud in the Magellanic clouds is bigger but more diffuse than in the Galaxy (Pak et al. 1998). Then, the small size of the dust grains in a cloud could be the result of the lack of a very dense environment necessary for the grains to grow through coagulation. This has been suggested as the cause of the anomalous extinction seen along the HD 210121 sightline (Larson et al. 1996; 2000). This kind of low density sightline may mimic the conditions in the SMC where extinction properties have been measured over long sightlines with low values of E(B-V) = 0.15-0.24 (Gordon & Clayton 1998). The value of N(Ca II)/N(Na I) is not known for the SMC sightlines but the Ca II abundance in the gas phase is much higher than in the Galaxy for a given reddening (Cohen 1984). The gas-to-dust ratio in general in the SMC is ten times that of the Galaxy (Koornneef 1983). The gas-to-dust ratio in our low density Galactic sample is not significantly different from the average Galactic value (Sembach & Danks 1994). This implies that the gas-to-dust ratio is not well correlated with dust extinction properties.

The forbidden velocities seen in our sample are associated with warm intercloud material and the turbulent ISM (Sembach & Danks 1994) and may indicate that the dust may have been subject to shocks. Sembach & Savage (1996) investigated the gas and dust abundances in the halo, finding that they are consistent with progressively more severe processing of grains from the disk into the halo. In addition, they find that while some material is returned to the gas phase, the grain cores seem resistant to destruction. Dust models indicate that the far-UV rise in the extinction curve becomes steeper with increased frequency of exposure to shocks which produces more small dust grains (O’Donnell & Mathis 1997). However, the frequently shocked dust models that produce steeper far-UV extinction also result in stronger bumps. So, producing an SMC-like extinction curve is not as simple as placing dust in a diffuse environment and waiting for a supernova shock.

The next logical step is to attempt to directly connect grain properties to their respective sightline environments. Consequently, we have included the average SD region extinction curve in a comprehensive study of dust in the Local Group where our goal is to explicitly examine the correlation of grain size distributions to sightline characteristics such as depletion patterns, and radiation environment (Wolff et al. 2000).

## 5. Conclusions

$``$ Magellanic-cloud-like extinction has now been found in the Milky Way.
$``$ Large values of N(Ca II)/N(Na I) indicating low depletion are associated with steep far-UV extinction as measured by $`c_2`$.
$``$ Global metallicity seems not to be a direct factor. Local environmental conditions seem to be the most important factor in determining dust properties.
$``$ Similar UV dust extinction properties have now been seen in the Milky Way, the Magellanic clouds, starburst galaxies and in high redshift star-forming galaxies.
$``$ There may be at least two ways to achieve similar extinction properties. A lack of dust coagulation has been suggested for HD 210121 to explain the observed extinction (Larson et al. 1996). The Galactic SD-region properties are closely tied to forbidden velocities indicating that processing of the grains in the diffuse ISM resulted in their observed properties.
$``$ There seems to be a correlation between decreasing bump strength and far-UV steepness that includes the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds.
$``$ All the sightlines contained in CCM lie within 1 kpc of the Sun. As this study shows, dust properties are not well mapped even in our own Galaxy. There are a larger range of UV extinction parameters seen in the Milky Way than implied by CCM.

Thanks to Ed Fitzpatrick for providing his IUE IDL procedure. This project was originally envisioned by the late Jason Cardelli.