A two-mode optical parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetric system, with gain and damping, described by a quantum quadratic Hamiltonian with additional small Kerr-like nonlinear terms, is analyzed from the point of view of nonclassical-light generation. Two kinds of stationary states with different types of (in)stability are revealed. Properties of one of these are related to the presence of semiclassical exceptional points, i.e., exotic degeneracies of the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian describing the studied system without quantum jumps. The evolution of the logarithmic negativity, principal squeezing variances, and sub-shot-noise photon-number correlations, considered as entanglement and nonclassicality quantifiers, is analyzed in the approximation of linear-operator corrections to the classical solution. Suitable conditions for nonclassical-light generation are identified in the oscillatory regime, especially at and around exceptional points that considerably enhance the nonlinear interaction and, thus, the nonclassicality of the generated light. The role of quantum fluctuations, inevitably accompanying attenuation and amplification in the evolution of quantum states, is elucidated. The evolution of the system is analyzed for different initial conditions.

We consider the possibility of generation steerable states in Bose–Hubbard system composed of three interacting wells in the form of a triangle. We show that although our system still fulfills the monogamy relations, the presence of additional coupling which transforms a chain of wells onto triangle gives a variety of new possibilities for the generation of steerable quantum states. Deriving analytical formulas for the parameters describing steering and bipartite entanglement, we show that interplay between two couplings influences quantum correlations of various types. We compare the time evolution of steering parameters to those describing bipartite entanglement and find the relations between the appearance of maximal entanglement and disappearance of steering effect.

Considering the system of three interacting qubits, we analyze four families of states from the point of view of bipartite correlations appearing in two-qubit subsystems of a three-qubit model, such as Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering, entanglement, and coherence. We reveal mutual relations among the steering parameter, concurrence, and three measures of coherence (degree of coherence, first-, and second-order correlation functions). Analyzing in parallel the steerable and unsteerable states, we derive analytical formulas giving the maximal and minimal values of coherence measures as concurrence varies.

We discuss a model comprised of a chain of three Kerr-like nonlinear oscillators pumped by two modes of external coherent field. We show that the system can be treated as nonlinear quantum scissors and behave as a three-qubit model. For such situation, different types of tripartite entangled states can be generated, even when damping effects are present in the system. Some amount of such entanglement can survive even in a long-time limit. The flow of bipartite entanglement between subsystems of the model and relations among first-order correlations, second-order correlations, and the entanglement are discussed.

We propose a Wigner-function-based parameter that can be used as an indicator of quantum chaos. This parameter is defined as “entropy” from the time dependence of “nonclassicality” proposed by A. Kenfack and K. Życzkowski [J. Opt. B 6, 394 (2004)]. We perform our considerations for the system of damped nonlinear (Kerr-like) oscillator excited by a series of ultrashort external pulses.