Amplification of superposition states in phase-sensitive amplifiers.

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We study statistical properties of quantum superposition states (Schrodinger-cat states) amplified by phase-sensitive (squeezed) amplifiers. We show that the phase-sensitive amplifier with a properly chosen phase can preserve quantum coherences and nonclassical behavior of the Schrodinger-cat-state input even for a gain factor G larger than 2. In particular, we show that for an even coherent state (CS) phase-sensitive amplifiers can preserve squeezing for G>2 but simultaneously in the process of amplification the noise added by the amplifier leads to a rapid increase of fluctuations in the photon number. Because of the finite maximum degree of squeezing obtainable for the even CS the maximum gain factor G m for which squeezing can still be observed in the output state is finite