Quantum non-Gaussianity witnesses in the phase space

Abstract

We address detection of quantum non-Gaussian states, i.e. nonclassical states that cannot be expressed as a convex mixture of Gaussian states, and present a method to derive a new family of criteria based on generic linear functionals. We then specialise this method to derive witnesses based on $s$-parametrized quasiprobability functions, generalising previous criteria based on the Wigner function. In particular we discuss in detail and analyse the properties of Husimi Q-function based witnesses and prove that they are often more effective than previous criteria in detecting quantum non-Gaussianity of various kinds of non-Gaussian states evolving in a lossy channel.