Higher-order sub-Poissonian-like nonclassical fields: Theoretical and experimental comparison

TL;DR

This paper introduces criteria for higher-order sub-Poissonian-like nonclassical fields using five different measures, compares their effectiveness, and experimentally demonstrates nonclassical states up to the ninth order.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive theoretical framework and experimental validation for higher-order nonclassicality criteria based on multiple statistical measures.

Findings

Criteria based on integrated intensity and photon number are most effective.

States nonclassical up to fifth order were experimentally achieved.

Ninth-order nonclassicality was observed using photocount distribution criteria.

Abstract

Criteria defining higher-order sub-Poissonian-like fields are given using five different quantities: moments of (I) integrated intensity, (II) photon number, (III) integrated-intensity fluctuation, (IV) photon-number fluctuation, and (V) elements of photocount and photon-number distributions. Relations among the moment criteria are revealed. Performance of the criteria is experimentally investigated using a set of potentially sub-Poissonian fields obtained by post-selection from a twin beam. The criteria based on moments of integrated intensity and photon number and those using the elements of photocount distribution are found as the most powerful. States nonclassical up to the fifth order are experimentally reached in the former case, even the ninth-order non-classicality is observed in the latter case.