Are you interested in measuring the field of a single photon? Do you want to measure the actual field or is intensity (proportional to the magnitude square of the field) sufficient? If so, can you use a calibrated splitter and measure part of the field and infer the intensity of the rest of the field?

Can you access an evanescent portion of the field just outside the medium?

If you don't want to attenuate the field in the process of measurement, you might try adding a source of gain to the medium, when pumped, you amplify your signal and then you can use traditional detection methods to measure the field.

Last month at SPIE Optics and Photonics there was a relevant session on the Nature of Light: What are Photons V. I presented a paper on this use of a gain medium to augment measurement of light. Stimulated emission in the gain medium produces more photons in the same photon state as the initial field.

Dear Carl. It would be too hard to measure the field components of single photon.... Even if we generate a single photon (by using single photon sources) and launch it in the gain medium. It will generate the more photons (may be with same wavelength and energy). But still question remain in my mind.. How to measure the electric and magnetic field associated with a single photon? ( or with a beam of light)????

Dear Vinod,

Yes, it's very difficult, and may not be possible, to measure the field of a single photon. I have also considered the related effect of the momentum kick the photon gives the atom...can we more easily measure atomic motion and dynamics as a means to infer what field and energy the photon carries?

If we have an ensemble of similar single photons that we conduct subsequent experiments with, then perhaps an interference experiment is possible to interrogate the field. Almost like what is done in holography...we have a reference and look for fringes to learn about the probe beam...even if we have to integrate over a long period of time.