Statistical reconstruction of the quantum states of three-level optical systems

The procedure of measurement followed by the reconstruction of the quantum state of a three-level optical system is implemented for a frequency-and spatially degenerate two-photon field. The method of statistical estimation of the quantum state from a solution to the likelihood equation and the analysis of the statistical properties of the obtained estimators is developed. Using the root method of estimating quantum states, the initial two-photon (qutrit) wave function is reconstructed from the measured fourth-order field moments.