Multipartite spatial entanglement generated by concurrent nonlinear processes

Abstract

Continuous variables multipartite entanglement is a key resource for quantum technologies. This works considers the multipartite entanglement generated in separated spatial modes of the same light beam by three different parametric sources: a standard $\chi^{(2)}$ medium pumped by two pumps, a single-pump nonlinear photonic crystal, and a doubly pumped nonlinear photonic crystal. These sources have in common the coexistence of several concurrent nonlinear processes in the same medium, which allows the generation of non-standard 3 and 4-mode couplings. We test the genuine nature of the multipartite entangled states thereby generated in a common framework, using both criteria based on proper bounds for the variances of nonlocal observables and on the positive partial transpose criterion. The relative simplicity of these states allows a (hopefully) useful comparison of the different inseparability tests.