An efficient method of quantum state engineering based on discrete superpositions of coherent states is presented. A systematic method is developed for obtaining optimized superpositions from the one-dimensional representation of the desired state. It is shown that superposition of even a small number of coherent states put along a straight line or on a circle in phase space can approximate nonclassical field states with a high degree of accuracy. An experimental scheme is proposed for generating equidistant coherent-state superpositions on a circle with arbitrary coefficients. © 1996 The American Physical Society.

• Received 15 November 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.53.2698