Highly non-Gaussian states created via cross-Kerr nonlinearity

TL;DR

This paper presents a practical method to generate highly non-Gaussian, non-classical electromagnetic states with distinctive Wigner function shapes using cross-Kerr nonlinearity, achievable with current technology.

Contribution

It introduces a feasible scheme for creating and detecting strongly non-Gaussian states with unique Wigner function features via cross-Kerr nonlinearity in atomic systems.

Findings

States exhibit negativity of Wigner function

States show sub-Poissonian photon statistics

States demonstrate amplitude squeezing

Abstract

We propose a feasible scheme for generation of strongly non-Gaussian states using the cross-Kerr nonlinearity. The resultant states are highly non-classical states of electromagnetic field and exhibit negativity of their Wigner function, sub-Poissonian photon statistics, and amplitude squeezing. Furthermore, the Wigner function has a distinctly pronounced ``banana'' or ``crescent'' shape specific for the Kerr-type interactions, which so far was not demonstrated experimentally. We show that creating and detecting such states should be possible with the present technology using electromagnetically induced transparency in a four-level atomic system in N-configuration.