Carlton M. Caves
Also known as C. M. Caves, C.M. Caves, C. M. Caves
Carlton Caves is a physicist whose research includes quantum information theory, quantum computation, quantum optics, and quantum metrology. He earned a physics bachelor’s degree at Rice in 1972 and a PhD at Caltech in 1979, then joined the University of New Mexico in 1992 after research work at Caltech and a professorship at USC. His 1981 interferometer paper proposed squeezed states as a way to shift the balance between two sources of quantum noise. With Ivan Deutsch, he helped establish quantum information science at UNM; he also published Bayesian work on quantum probabilities with Fuchs and Schack, and directed CQuIC from 2009 to 2018. He received the Micius Quantum Prize and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020; as of October 2026, he is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UNM.
- Now at
- University of New Mexico
- Works
- 256
- Citations
- 27,502
- h-index
- 65
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.
Timeline
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1972–1979
Physics at Rice and Caltech
He earns a bachelor’s degree in physics at Rice University in 1972 and a PhD at Caltech in 1979.
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1979–1982
Research and quantum noise
After his 1979 doctorate, he works as a research fellow at Caltech. In 1981, he publishes “Quantum-mechanical noise in an interferometer,” which analyzes photon-counting and radiation-pressure errors and proposes a squeezed-state technique to shift the balance between the two noise sources. He becomes a senior research fellow in theoretical physics in 1982.
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1992
Professor at UNM
After serving as an associate professor of electrical engineering at the University of Southern California, he joins UNM as professor of physics and astronomy in 1992.
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1995
An information physics group
Ivan Deutsch joins Caves at UNM in 1995 to establish a group in quantum information science. Caves calls it the Information Physics Group, at the intersection of information theory and physics.
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2001
Bayesian quantum probabilities
With Christopher A. Fuchs and Ruediger Schack, he argues in a 2001 paper that quantum probabilities can be understood through a Bayesian approach and gives a Bayesian formulation of quantum-state tomography.
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2009–2018
Founding and directing CQuIC
He serves as CQuIC’s founding director from its establishment in 2009 until he retires from teaching and administration in 2018.
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2020
A prize and academy election
He receives the Micius Quantum Prize in 2020 for work on quantum metrology and quantum information, including interferometer noise and its suppression with squeezed states. He is elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020.
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As of October 2026
Professor emeritus at UNM
As of October 2026, he is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of New Mexico. His research interests include quantum information theory, quantum computation, open quantum systems, nonlinear dynamics and quantum chaos, and theoretical quantum optics.
Sources and credits
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- Carlton M. Caves | Optica
- Quantum-mechanical noise in an interferometer | Phys. Rev. D
- CQuIC names new director | UNM UCAM Newsroom
- [quant-ph/0106133] Quantum probabilities as Bayesian probabilities
- Ivan Deutsch Appointed as CQuIC Director | UNM Department of Physics and Astronomy
- UNM’s Carlton Caves awarded Micius Quantum Prize 2020 | Optical Science & Engineering
- Distinguished Professor Emeritus Dr. Caves Elected to the National Academy of Sciences | Optical Science & Engineering
- Carlton Caves | Center for Quantum Information and Control
- Carlton M. Caves | UNM Department of Physics and Astronomy