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The optical cat state, known as the superposition of coherent states, has broad applications in quantum computation and quantum metrology. Increasing the number of optical cat states is crucial to implement complex quantum information tasks based on them. Here, we prepare two optical cat states simultaneously based on a nondegenerate optical parametric amplifier. By subtracting one photon from each of two squeezed vacuum states, two odd cat states with orthogonal superposition direction in phase space are prepared simultaneously, which have similar fidelity of 60% and amplitude of 1.2. Compared with the traditional method to generate two odd optical cat states based on two degenerate optical parametric amplifiers, only one nondegenerate optical parametric amplifier is applied in our experiment, which saves half of the quantum resource of nonlinear cavities. The presented results make a step toward preparing the four-component cat state, which has potential applications in fault-tolerant quantum computation.

Remote state preparation enables one to prepare and manipulate quantum state non-locally. As an essential quantum resource, optical cat state is usually prepared locally by subtracting photons from a squeezed vacuum state. For remote quantum information processing, it is essential to prepare and manipulate optical cat states remotely based on Gaussian entanglement, which remains a challenge. Here, we present experimental preparation of optical cat states based on a remotely distributed two-mode Gaussian entangled state in a lossy channel. By performing photon subtraction and homodyne projective measurement at Alice's station, an optical cat state is prepared remotely at Bob's station. Furthermore, the prepared cat state is rotated by changing Alice's measurement basis of homodyne detection, which demonstrates the remote manipulation of it. By distributing two modes of the two-mode Gaussian entangled state in lossy channels, we demonstrate that the remotely prepared cat state can tolerate much more loss in Alice's channel than that in Bob's channel. We also show that cat states with amplitudes larger than 2 can be prepared by increasing the squeezing level and subtracting photon numbers. Our results make a crucial step toward remote hybrid quantum information processing involving discrete- and continuous-variable techniques.

Remote state preparation enables one to create and manipulate a quantum state based on the shared entanglement between distant nodes. Here, we experimentally demonstrate remote preparation and manipulation of squeezed light. By performing homodyne projective measurement on one mode of the continuous variable entangled state at Alice's station, a squeezed state is created at Bob's station. Moreover, rotation and displacement operations are applied on the prepared squeezed state by changing the projective parameters on Alice's state. We also show that the remotely prepared squeezed state is robust against loss and N-1 squeezed states can be remotely prepared based on a N-mode continuous variable Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-like state. Our results verify the entanglement-based model used in security analysis of quantum key distribution with continuous variables and have potential application in remote quantum information processing.

The squeezed cat state, an essential quantum resource, can be used for quantum error correction and slowing decoherence of the optical cat state. However, preparing a squeezed cat state with high generation rate, and effectively manipulating it, remain challenging. In this work, a high-performance all-optical in-line squeezer is developed to prepare a squeezed cat state and manipulate the phase of the quadrature squeezing. This scheme has the advantages that the phase of the quadrature squeezing of the squeezed cat state can be manipulated by changing the working condition of the squeezer, and that a higher generation rate can be achieved via the deterministic squeezing operation of the in-line squeezer. The generation rate of squeezed cat states reaches 2 kHz, the same as that of the initial cat state. The all-optical in-line squeezer proposed here removes the requirements of electro-optic and opto-electric conversions necessary for an off-line squeezer, thus enabling high-bandwidth squeezing operations on non-Gaussian states. These results provide an efficient method to prepare and manipulate optical squeezed cat states, which makes a step closer to their applications in all-optical quantum information processing., Comment: Published online in Laser & Photonics Reviews

Non-Gaussian states with Wigner negativity are of particular interest in quantum technology due to their potential applications in quantum computing and quantum metrology. However, how to create such states at a remote location remains a challenge, which is important for efficiently distributing quantum resource between distant nodes in a network. Here, we experimentally prepare optical non-Gaussian state with negative Wigner function at a remote node via local non-Gaussian operation and shared Gaussian entangled state existing quantum steering. By performing photon subtraction on one mode, Wigner negativity is created in the remote target mode. We show that the Wigner negativity is sensitive to loss on the target mode, but robust to loss on the mode performing photon subtraction. This experiment confirms the connection between the remotely created Wigner negativity and quantum steering. As an application, we present that the generated non-Gaussian state exhibits metrological power in quantum phase estimation., Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett. (Accepted)

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexed entangled state is an important quantum resource for high dimensional quantum information processing. In this paper, we experimentally quantify quantum coherence of OAM multiplexed continuous-variable (CV) entangled state and characterize its evolution in a noisy environment. We show that the quantum coherence of the OAM multiplexed CV entangled state carrying topological charges $l=1$ and $l=2$ are the same as that of the Gaussian mode with $l=0$ in a noisy channel. Furthermore, we show that the quantum coherence of OAM multiplexed entangled state is robust to noise, even though the sudden death of entanglement is observed. Our results provide reference for applying quantum coherence of OAM multiplexed CV entangled state in a noisy environment., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Comments are welcome. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2203.15976

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing provides an efficient method to improve data-carrying capacity in various quantum communication protocols. It is a precondition to distribute OAM multiplexed quantum resources in quantum channels for implementing quantum communication. However, quantum steering of OAM multiplexed optical fields and the effect of channel noise on OAM multiplexed quantum resources remain unclear. Here, we generate OAM multiplexed continuous-variable (CV) entangled states and distribute them in lossy or noisy channels. We show that the decoherence property of entanglement and quantum steering of the OAM multiplexed states carrying topological charges $l=1$ and $l=2$ are the same as that of the Gaussian mode with $l=0$ in lossy and noisy channels. The sudden death of entanglement and quantum steering of high-order OAM multiplexed states is observed in the presence of excess noise. Our results demonstrate the feasibility to realize high data-carrying capacity quantum information processing by utilizing OAM multiplexed CV entangled states., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Comments are welcome

Besides quantum entanglement and steering, quantum coherence has also been identified as a useful quantum resource in quantum information. It is important to investigate the evolution of quantum coherence in practical quantum channels. In this paper, we experimentally quantify the quantum coherence of a squeezed state and a Gaussian Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) entangled state transmitted in Gaussian thermal noise channel, respectively. By reconstructing the covariance matrix of the transmitted states, quantum coherence of these Gaussian states is quantified by calculating the relative entropy. We show that quantum coherence of the squeezed state and the Gaussian EPR entangled state is robust against loss and noise in a quantum channel, which is different from the properties of squeezing and Gaussian entanglement. Our experimental results pave the way for application of Gaussian quantum coherence in lossy and noisy environments.

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering is a useful resource for secure quantum information tasks. It is crucial to investigate the effect of inevitable loss and noise in quantum channels on EPR steering. We analyze and experimentally demonstrate the influence of purity of quantum states and excess noise on Gaussian EPR steering by distributing a two-mode squeezed state through lossy and noisy channels, respectively. We show that the impurity of state never leads to sudden death of Gaussian EPR steering, but the noise in quantum channel can. Then we revive the disappeared Gaussian EPR steering by establishing a correlated noisy channel. Different from entanglement, the sudden death and revival of Gaussian EPR steering are directional. Our result confirms that EPR steering criteria proposed by Reid and I. Kogias et al. are equivalent in our case. The presented results pave way for asymmetric quantum information processing exploiting Gaussian EPR steering in noisy environment.

Topological error correction provides an effective method to correct errors in quantum computation. It allows quantum computation to be implemented with higher error threshold and high tolerating loss rates. We present a topological a error correction scheme with continuous variables based on an eight-partite Gaussian cluster state. We show that topological quantum correlation between two modes can be protected against a single quadrature phase displacement error occurring on any mode and some of two errors occurring on two modes. More interestingly, some cases of errors occurring on three modes can also be recognised and corrected, which is different from the topological error correction with discrete variables. We show that the final error rate after correction can be further reduced if the modes are subjected to identical errors occurring on all modes with equal probability. The presented results provide a feasible scheme for topological error correction with continuous variables and it can be experimentally demonstrated with a Gaussian cluster state.

Optical cat state plays an essential role in quantum computation and quantum metrology. Here, we experimentally quantify quantum coherence of an optical cat state by means of relative entropy and l_1 norm of coherence in Fock basis based on the prepared optical cat state at rubidium D1 line. By transmitting the optical cat state through a lossy channel, we also demonstrate the robustness of quantum coherence of optical cat state in the presence of loss, which is different from the decoherence properties of fidelity and Wigner function negativity of the optical cat state. Our results confirm that quantum coherence of optical cat states is robust against loss and pave the way for the application with optical cat states.

As two valuable quantum resources, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement and steering play important roles in quantum-enhanced communication protocols. Distributing such quantum resources among multiple remote users in a network is a crucial precondition underlying various quantum tasks. We experimentally demonstrate the deterministic distribution of two- and three-mode Gaussian entanglement and steering by transmitting separable states in a network consisting of a quantum server and multiple users. In our experiment, entangled states are not prepared solely by the quantum server, but are created among independent users during the distribution process. More specifically, the quantum server prepares separable squeezed states and applies classical displacements on them before spreading out, and users simply perform local beam-splitter operations and homodyne measurements after they receive separable states. We show that the distributed Gaussian entanglement and steerability are robust against channel loss. Furthermore, one-way Gaussian steering is achieved among users that is useful for further directional or highly asymmetric quantum information processing.

The Kramers-Kronig (KK) receiver provides an efficient method to reconstruct the complex-valued optical field by means of intensity detection given a minimum-phase signal. In this paper, we analytically show that for detecting coherent states through measuring the minimum-phase signal, while keeping the radial quantum fluctuation the same as the balanced heterodyne detection does, the KK receiver can indirectly recover the tangential component with fluctuation equivalently reduced to 1/3 times the radial one at the decision time, by adopting the KK relations to utilize the information of the physically measured radial component of other time of the symbol period. In consequence, the KK receiver achieves 3/2 times the signal-to-noise ratio of balanced heterodyne detection, while presenting an asymmetric quantum fluctuation distribution depending on the time-varying phase. Therefore, the KK receiver provides a feasible scheme to reduce the quantum fluctuation for obtaining the selected component to 2/ 3 times that of physically measuring the same component of the coherent state. This work provides a physical insight of the KK receiver and should enrich the knowledge of electromagnetic noise in quantum optical measurement.

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering is one of the most intriguing features of quantum mechanics and an important resource for quantum communication. For practical applications, it remains a challenge to protect EPR steering from decoherence due to its intrinsic difference from entanglement. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the distillation of Gaussian EPR steering and entanglement in lossy and noisy environments using measurement-based noiseless linear amplification. Different from entanglement distillation, the extension of steerable region happens in the distillation of EPR steering besides the enhancement of steerabilities. We demonstrate that the two-way or one-way steerable region is extended after the distillation of EPR steering when the NLA is implemented based on Bob's or Alice's measurement results. We also show that the NLA helps to extract secret key from insecure region in one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution with EPR steering. Our work paves the way for quantum communication exploiting EPR steering in practical quantum channels., Comment: Figure 9 is replaced

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering, as one of the most intriguing phenomenon of quantum mechanics, is a useful quantum resource for quantum communication. Understanding the type of EPR steering in a graph state is the basis for application of it in a quantum network. In this paper, we present EPR steering in a Gaussian weighted graph state, including a linear tripartite and a four-mode square weighted graph state. The dependence of EPR steering on weight factor in the weighted graph state is analyzed. Gaussian EPR steering between two modes of a weighted graph state is presented, which does not exist in the Gaussian cluster state (where the weight factor is unit). For the four-mode square Gaussian weighted graph state, EPR steering between one and its two nearest modes is also presented, which is absent in the four-mode square Gaussian cluster state. We also show that Gaussian EPR steering in a weighted graph state is also bounded by the Coffman-Kundu-Wootters monogamy relation. The presented results are useful for exploiting EPR steering in a Gaussian weighted graph state as a valuable resource in multiparty quantum communication tasks.

Uncertainty relation is one of the fundamental principle in quantum mechanics and plays an important role in quantum information science. We experimentally test the error-disturbance uncertainty relation (EDR) with continuous variables for Gaussian states. Two conjugate continuous-variable observables, amplitude and phase quadratures of an optical mode, are measured simultaneously by using a heterodyne measurement system. The EDR with continuous variables for a coherent state, a squeezed state and a thermal state are verified experimentally. Our experimental results demonstrate that Heisenberg's EDR with continuous variables is violated, yet Ozawa's and Branciard's EDR with continuous variables are validated.

Heisenberg's original uncertainty relation is related to measurement effect, which is different from the preparation uncertainty relation. However, it has been shown that Heisenberg's error-disturbance uncertainty relation can be violated in some cases. We experimentally test the error-tradeoff uncertainty relation by using a continuous-variable Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) entangled state. Based on the quantum correlation between the two entangled optical beams, the errors on amplitude and phase quadratures of one EPR optical beam coming from joint measurement are estimated respectively, which are used to verify the error-tradeoff relation. Especially, the error-tradeoff relation for error-free measurement of one observable is verified in our experiment. We also verify the error-tradeoff relations for nonzero errors and mixed state by introducing loss on one EPR beam. Our experimental results demonstrate that Heisenberg's error-tradeoff uncertainty relation is violated in some cases for a continuous-variable system, while the Ozawa's and Brainciard's relations are valid.

Nondegenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) process based on a double-$\Lambda$ scheme in hot alkali metal vapor is a versatile tool in quantum state engineering, quantum imaging, and quantum precision measurements. In this Letter, we investigate the generation of quantum correlated twin beams which carry nonzero orbital angular momentums (OAMs) based on the FWM process in hot cesium vapor. The amplified probe beam and the newly generated conjugate beam in the FWM process have the same and opposite topological charge as the seed beam, respectively. We also explore the FWM process operated in a nonamplifying regime where quantum correlated twin beams carrying OAMs can still be generated. In this regime, the FWM process plays the role of quantum beam splitter for the OAM of light, that is, a device that can split a coherent light beam carrying OAM into quantum-correlated twin beams carrying OAMs. More generally, our setup can be used as a quantum beam splitter of images., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

Understanding the distribution of quantum entanglement over many parties is a fundamental challenge of quantum physics and is of practical relevance for several applications in the field of quantum information. Here we use methods from quantum metrology to microscopically characterize the entanglement structure of multimode continuous-variable states in all possible multi-partitions and in all reduced distributions. From experimentally measured covariance matrices of Gaussian states with 2, 3, and 4 photonic modes with controllable losses, we extract the metrological sensitivity as well as an upper separability bound for each partition. An entanglement witness is constructed by comparing the two quantities. Our analysis demonstrates the usefulness of these methods for continuous-variable systems and provides a detailed geometric understanding of the robustness of cluster-state entanglement under photon losses.

As one of the most intriguing features of quantum mechanics, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering is a useful resource for secure quantum networks. Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state plays important role in quantum communication network. By reconstructing the covariance matrix of a continuous variable tripartite GHZ state, we fully quantify the amount of bipartite steering under Gaussian measurements. We demonstrate that the (1+1)-mode steerability is not exist in the tripartite GHZ state, only the collectively steerability exist between the (1+2)-mode and (2+1)-mode partitions. These properties confirm that the tripartite GHZ state is a perfect resource for quantum secret sharing protocol. We also demonstrate one-way EPR steering of the GHZ state under Gaussian measurements, and experimentally verify the introduced monogamy relations for Gaussian steerability. Our experiment provides reference for using EPR steering in Gaussian GHZ states as a valuable resource for multiparty quantum information tasks., Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1702.06287

Using a nondegenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) process based on a double-{\Lambda} scheme in hot cesium vapor, we demonstrate a compact diode-laser-pumped quantum light source for the generation of quantum correlated twin beams with a maximum squeezing of 6.5 dB. The squeezing is observed at a Fourier frequency in the audio band down to 0.7 kHz which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first observation of sub-kilohertz intensity-difference squeezing in an atomic system so far. A phase-matching condition is also investigated in our system, which confirms the spatial-multi-mode characteristics of the FWM process. Our compact low-frequency squeezed light source may find applications in quantum imaging, quantum metrology, and the transfer of optical squeezing onto a matter wave., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Distribution of quantum correlations among remote users is a key procedure underlying many quantum information technologies. Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering, which is one kind of such correlations stronger than entanglement, has been identified as a resource for secure quantum networks. We show that this resource can be established between two and even more distant parties by transmission of a system being separable from all the parties. For the case with two parties, we design a protocol allowing to distribute one-way Gaussian steering between them via a separable carrier; the obtained steering can be used subsequently for one-sided device-independent (1sDI) quantum key distribution. Further, we extend the protocol to three parties, a scenario which exhibits richer steerability properties including one-to-multimode steering and collective steering, and which can be used for 1sDI quantum secret sharing. All the proposed steering distribution protocols can be implemented with squeezed states, beam splitters and displacements, and thus they can be readily realized experimentally. Our findings reveal that not only entanglement but even steering can be distributed via communication of a separable system. Viewed from a different perspective, the present protocols also demonstrate that one can switch multipartite states between different steerability classes by operations on parts of the states.

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering is a quantum mechanical phenomenon that allows one party to steer the state of a distant party by exploiting their shared entanglement. It has potential applications in secure quantum communication. In this paper, we present two swapping schemes of Gaussian EPR steering, single-channel and dual-channel schemes, by the technique of entanglement swapping. Two space-separated independent EPR steering states without a direct interaction present EPR steering after deterministic swapping. By comparing the EPR steering of the single-channel and dual-channel schemes, we show that the transmission distance of the single-channel scheme is much longer than that of the symmetric dual-channel scheme. Different from entanglement swapping, one-way EPR steering is presented after swapping over lossy channels. The most interesting thing is that the change of the EPR steering direction is observed in the dual-channel scheme. We also show that excess noise in a quantum channel will shorten the transmission distance of the swapping, even leading to the sudden death of EPR steering. The presented schemes provide a technical reference for remote quantum communications with EPR steering.

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering exhibits an inherent asymmetric feature that differs from both entanglement and Bell nonlocality, which leads to one-way EPR steering. Although this one-way EPR steering phenomenon has been experimentally observed, the schemes to manipulate the direction of EPR steering have not been investigated thoroughly. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate three schemes to manipulate the direction of EPR steering, either by varying the noise on one party of a two-mode squeezed state (TMSS) or transmitting the TMSS in a noisy channel. The dependence of the direction of EPR steering on the noise and transmission efficiency in the quantum channel is analyzed. The experimental results show that the direction of EPR steering of the TMSS can be changed in the presented schemes. Our work is helpful in understanding the fundamental asymmetry of quantum nonlocality and has potential applications in future asymmetric quantum information processing.