Experimental photon addition and subtraction in multi-mode and entangled optical fields

TL;DR

This study experimentally compares photon addition and subtraction in multi-mode and entangled optical fields, revealing that photon addition generally enhances nonclassicality more than subtraction, with twin-beam pairing influencing the outcomes.

Contribution

It provides a direct experimental comparison of photon addition and subtraction effects on various optical states using a unified setup, highlighting differences in nonclassicality and non-Gaussianity.

Findings

Photon-added states show greater nonclassicality and non-Gaussianity than subtracted states.

Photon subtraction states remain classical in thermal fields.

Twin-beam photon pairing leads to similar properties after addition or subtraction.

Abstract

Multiple photon addition and subtraction applied to multi-mode thermal and sub-Poissonian fields as well as twin beams is mutually compared using one experimental setup. Twin beams with tight spatial correlations detected by an intensified CCD camera with high spatial resolution are used to prepare the initial fields. Up to three photons are added or subtracted to arrive at the nonclassical and non-Gaussian states. Only the photon-subtracted thermal states remain classical. In general, the experimental photon-added states exhibit greater nonclassicality and non-Gaussianity than the comparable photon-subtracted states. Once photons are added or subtracted in twin beams, both processes result in comparable properties of the obtained states owing to twin-beam photon pairing.