We recall the framework of a consistent quantum description of polarization of light. Accordingly, the degree of polarization of a two-mode state ρ^ of the quantum radiation field can be defined as a distance of a related state ρ^b to the convex set of all SU(2) invariant two-mode states. We explore a distance-type polarization measure in terms of the quantum Chernoff bound and derive its explicit expression. A comparison between the Chernoff and Bures degrees of polarization leads to interesting conclusions for some particular states chosen as illustrative examples.
@article{arxiv.1008.3858,
title = {Probing light polarization with the quantum Chernoff bound},
author = {Iulia Ghiu and Gunnar Bjork and Paulina Marian and Tudor A. Marian},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1008.3858},
year = {2015}
}