Entanglement dynamics of quantum states generated by a Kerr medium and a beam splitter

Abstract

We study theoretically the dynamics of entangled states created in a beam splitter with a nonlinear Kerr medium placed into one input arm. Entanglement dynamics of initial classical and nonclassical states are studied and compared. Signatures of revival and fractional revival phenomena exhibited during the time evolution of states in the Kerr medium are captured in the entangled states produced by the beam splitter. Dynamics of entanglement shows local minima at the instants of fractional revivals. These minima correspond to the generation of two-component Schrödinger cat states or multi-component Schrödinger cat-like states if the initial state considered is a coherent state. Maximum entanglement is obtained at the instants of collapses of wave packets in the medium. Our analysis shows increase in entanglement with increase in the degree of nonclassicality of the initial states considered. We show that the states generated at the output of the beam splitter using initial nonclassical states are more robust against decoherence due to photon absorption by an environment than those formed by an initial classical state.