Entanglement potentials (EPs) enable the characterization and quantification of the nonclassicality of single-mode optical fields by measuring the entanglement generated through beam splitting. We experimentally generated single-photon states and tomographically reconstructed the corresponding two-qubit states to determine EPs defined via popular two-qubit measures of entanglement. These include the potentials for the relative entropy of entanglement (REEP), concurrence, and negativity. Among our experimental states, we found those that are very close (at least for some ranges of parameters) to the theoretical upper and lower bounds on relative EPs (or relative nonclassicality), i.e., when one EP is maximized or minimized for a given value of another EP. We experimentally confirmed the counterintuitive theoretical result of Miranowicz et al. [Phys. Rev. A 92, 062314 (2015)] that the relative nonclassicality (specifically, the negativity potential for given values of the REEP) of single-photon states can be increased by dissipation.
Entanglement potentials (EPs) enable the characterization and quantification of the nonclassicality of single-mode optical fields by measuring the entanglement generated through beam splitting. We experimentally generated single-photon states and tomographically reconstructed the corresponding two-qubit states to determine EPs defined via popular two-qubit measures of entanglement. These include the potentials for the relative entropy of entanglement (REEP), concurrence, and negativity. Among our experimental states, we found those that are very close (at least for some ranges of parameters) to the theoretical upper and lower bounds on relative EPs (or relative nonclassicality), i.e., when one EP is maximized or minimized for a given value of another EP. We experimentally confirmed the counterintuitive theoretical result of Miranowicz et al. [Phys. Rev. A 92, 062314 (2015)] that the relative nonclassicality (specifically, the negativity potential for given values of the REEP) of single-photon states can be increased by dissipation.
If a single-mode nonclassical light is combined with the vacuum on a beam splitter, then the output state is entangled. As proposed in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 173602 (2005)], by measuring this output-state entanglement for a balanced lossless beam splitter, one can quantify the input-state nonclassicality. These measures of nonclassicality (referred to as entanglement potentials) can be based, in principle, on various entanglement measures, leading to the negativity (NP) and concurrence (CP) potentials, and the potential for the relative entropy of entanglement (REEP). We search for the maximal relative nonclassicality, which can be achieved by comparing two entanglement measures for (i) arbitrary two-qubit states and (ii) those which can be generated from a photon-number qubit via a balanced lossless beam splitter, where the qubit basis states are the vacuum and single-photon states. Surprisingly, we find that the maximal relative nonclassicality, measured by the REEP for a given value of the NP, can be increased (if NP<0.527) by using either a tunable beam splitter or by amplitude damping of the output state of the balanced beam splitter. We also show that the maximal relative nonclassicality, measured by the NP for a given value of the REEP, can be increased by phase damping (dephasing). Note that the entanglement itself is not increased by these losses (since they act locally), but the possible ratios of different measures are affected. Moreover, we show that partially dephased states can be more nonclassical than both pure states and completely dephased states, by comparing the NP for a given value of the REEP. Thus, one can conclude that not all standard entanglement measures can be used as entanglement potentials. Alternatively, one can infer that a single balanced lossless beam splitter is not always transferring the whole nonclassicality of its input state into the entanglement of its output modes. The application of a lossy beam splitter can solve this problem, at least for the cases analyzed in this paper.
If a single-mode nonclassical light is combined with the vacuum on a beam splitter, then the output state is entangled. As proposed in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 173602 (2005)], by measuring the output-state entanglement for a balanced lossless beam splitter, one can quantify the input-state nonclassicality. These measures of nonclassicality (referred to as entanglement potentials) can be based, in principle, on various entanglement measures, leading to the negativity (NP) and concurrence (CP) potentials, and the potential for the relative entropy of entanglement (REEP). We search for the maximal nonclassicality, which can be achieved by comparing two entanglement measures for arbitrary two-qubit states and those which can be generated from a photon-number qubit via a balanced lossless beam-splitter, where the qubit basis states are the vacuum and single-photon states. Surprisingly, we find that the maximal nonclassicality, measured by the REEP for a given value of the NP, can be increased (if NP<0.527) by using either a tunable beam splitter or by amplitude damping of the output state of the balanced beam splitter. We also show that the maximal nonclassicality, measured by the NP for a given value of the REEP, can be increased by dephasing. The entanglement itself is not increased by these local losses, but the possible ratios of different measures are affected. Moreover, we show that partially-mixed states can be more nonclassical than both pure states and completely-mixed states, by comparing the NP for a given value of the REEP. This implies that not all entanglement measures can be used as entanglement potentials. Alternatively, a single balanced lossless beam splitter is not always transferring the whole nonclassicality of its input state into the entanglement of its output modes. Applying a lossy beam splitter can solve this problem at least for the cases analyzed in this paper.
Entanglement potentials are popular measures of the nonclassicality of single-mode optical fields. These potentials are defined by the amount of entanglement (measured by, e.g., the negativity or concurrence) of the two-mode field generated by mixing a given single-mode field with the vacuum on a balanced beam splitter. We generalize this concept to define the potentials for Bell nonlocality and quantum steering in specific measurement scenarios, in order to quantify single-mode nonclassicality in a more refined way. Thus, we can study the hierarchy of three types of potentials in close analogy to the well-known hierarchy of the corresponding two-mode quantum correlations. For clarity of our presentation, we focus on the analysis of the nonclassicality potentials for arbitrary vacuum-one-photon superpositions (VOPSs), corresponding to a photon-number qubit. We discuss experimentally feasible implementations for the generation of single-mode VOPS states, their mixing with the vacuum on a balanced beam splitter, and their two-mode Wigner-function reconstruction using homodyne tomography to determine the potentials. We analyze the effects of imperfections, including phase damping and unbalanced beam splitting on the quality of the reconstructed two-mode states and nonclassicality potentials. Although we focus on the analysis of VOPS states, single-mode potentials can also be applied to study the nonclassicality of qudits or continuous-variable systems.
Gradual loss of the entanglement of a twin beam containing around 25 photon pairs with the increasing external noise is experimentally investigated. The entanglement is quantified by the nonclassicality depths and the nonclassicality counting parameters related to several nonclassicality criteria. The reduction of intensity moments of the analyzed multimode twin beams to single-mode ones allows determination of the negativity as another quantifier of the entanglement. Both the raw photocount histograms and the reconstructed photon-number distributions are analyzed in parallel.
Abstract Inspired by previous studies on entanglement potentials as measures of nonclassicality for single-mode optical states, this work introduces two novel quantifiers based on local quantum uncertainty potential(LQUP) and local quantum Fisher information potential(LQFIP). These two related potentials are employed to characterize the nonclassical nature of single-mode optical fields beyond conventional entanglement-based measures and exhibit similar trends. In particular, the relationship between LQFIP and LQUP is revealed. The exact lower and upper bounds of LQFIP versus LQUP are obtained for a specific class of nonclassical states, and the respective states which saturate those bounds are also characterized. This allows us to establish a strong hierarchy of nonclassicality for single-qubit optical states, mapped directly from the hierarchy of two-qubit quantum correlations. Our findings not only provide new tools for quantifying nonclassicality but also deepen the understanding of quantum resources in optical systems, with potential applications in quantum metrology and information processing. PACS numbers: 03.65.Ta, 03.67.-a, 03.65.Yz
Entanglement potentials are a promising way to quantify the nonclassicality of single-mode states. They are defined by the amount of entanglement (expressed by, e.g., the Wootters concurrence) obtained after mixing the examined single-mode state with a purely classical state; such as the vacuum or a coherent state. We generalize the idea of entanglement potentials to other quantum correlations: the EPR steering and Bell nonlocality, thus enabling us to study mutual hierarchies of these nonclassicality potentials. Instead of the usual vacuum and one-photon superposition states, we experimentally test this concept using specially tailored polarization-encoded single-photon states. One polarization encodes a given nonclassical single-mode state, while the other serves as the vacuum place-holder. This technique proves to be experimentally more convenient in comparison to the vacuum and a one-photon superposition as it does not require the vacuum detection.