Quantum statistical properties of multiphoton hypergeometric coherent states and the discrete circle representation

Abstract: We review the definition of hypergeometric coherent states, discussing some representative examples. Then we study mathematical and statistical properties of hypergeometric Schr\"odinger cat states, defined as orthonormalized eigenstates of $k$-th powers of nonlinear $f$-oscillator annihilation operators, with $f$ of hypergeometric type. These "$k$-hypercats" can be written as an equally weighted superposition of hypergeometric coherent states $|z_l\rangle, l=0,1,\dots,k-1$, with $z_l=z e^{2\pi i l/k}$ a $k$-th root of $z^k$, and they interpolate between number and coherent states. This fact motivates a continuous circle representation for high $k$. We also extend our study to truncated hypergeometric functions (finite dimensional Hilbert spaces) and a discrete exact circle representation is provided. We also show how to generate $k$-hypercats by amplitude dispersion in a Kerr medium and analyze their generalized Husimi $Q$-function in the super- and sub-Poissonian cases at different fractions of the revival time.