Quantum properties are soon subject to decoherence once the quantum system interacts with the classical environment. In this paper we experimentally test how propagation losses, in a Gaussian channel, affect the bipartite Gaussian entangled state generated by a subthreshold type-II optical parametric oscillator. Experimental results are discussed in terms of different quantum markers, as teleportation fidelity, quantum discord, and mutual information, and continuous-variable (CV) entanglement criteria. To analyze state properties we have retrieved the composite system covariance matrix by a single homodyne detector. We experimentally found that, even in the presence of a strong decoherence, the generated state never disentangles and keeps breaking the quantum limit for the discord. This result proves that the class of CV entangled states discussed in this paper would allow, in principle, to realize quantum teleportation over an infinitely long Gaussian channel.

Gaussian bipartite states are basic tools for the realization of quantum information protocols with continuous variables. Their complete characterization is obtained by the reconstruction of the corresponding covariance matrix. Here we describe in details and experimentally demonstrate a robust and reliable method to fully characterize bipartite optical Gaussian states by means of a single homodyne detector. We have successfully applied our method to the bipartite states generated by a sub-threshold type-II optical parametric oscillator which produces a pair of thermal cross-polarized entangled CW frequency degenerate beams. The method provide a reliable reconstruction of the covariance matrix and allows to retrieve all the physical information about the state under investigation. These includes observable quantities, as energy and squeezing, as well as non observable ones as purity, entropy and entanglement. Our procedure also includes advanced tests for Gaussianity of the state and, overall, represents a powerful tool to study bipartite Gaussian state from the generation stage to the detection one

We introduce and discuss a set of tunable two-mode states of continuous-variable systems, as well as a simple, effective scheme for their experimental generation. This class of tunable entangled resources is defined by a general ansatz depending on two experimentally adjustable parameters. It is very ample and flexible as it encompasses Gaussian as well as non-Gaussian states. The latter include, among others, known states such as squeezed number states and de-Gaussified photon-added and photon-subtracted squeezed states, the latter being the most efficient non-Gaussian resources currently available in the laboratory. Moreover, it contains the classes of squeezed Bell states and even more general non-Gaussian resources that can be optimized according to the specific quantum technological task that needs to be realized. The proposed experimental scheme exploits linear optical operations and photon detections performed on a pair of uncorrelated two-mode Gaussian squeezed states. The desired non-Gaussian state is then realized via ancillary squeezing and conditioning. Two independent, freely tunable experimental parameters can be exploited to generate different states and to optimize the performance in implementing a given quantum protocol. As a concrete instance, we analyze in detail the performance of different states considered as resources for the realization of quantum teleportation in realistic conditions. For the fidelity of teleportation of an unknown coherent state, we show that the resources associated with the optimized parameters outperform, in a significant range of experimental values, both Gaussian twin beams and photon-subtracted squeezed states.

Entanglement, one of the most intriguing aspects of quantum mechanics, marks itself into different features of quantum states. For this reason different criteria can be used for verifying entanglement. In this paper we review some of the entanglement criteria casted for continuous variable states and link them to peculiar aspects of the original debate on the famous EPR paradox. Moreover, we give a handy expression for valuating Bell-type non-locality on Gaussian states. We also present the experimental measurement of a particular realization of the Bell operator over continuous variable entangled states produced by a sub-threshold type-II OPO.

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