We propose a reliable entanglement measure for a two-mode squeezed thermal state of the quantum electromagnetic field in terms of its Bures distance to the set of all separable states of the same kind. The requisite fidelity of a pair of two-mode squeezed thermal states is exactly evaluated. By applying the Peres-Simon criterion of separability, we find the closest separable state. This enables us to establish an insightful expression of the amount of entanglement. We also derive the relative entropy of a two-mode squeezed thermal state with respect to another one. This quantity is exploited in the pure-state case by undertaking a similar approximation for the entropic entanglement of a two-mode squeezed vacuum state. Comparison with previous work lends support to our approach that replaces the reference set of all separable Gaussian states by its subset consisting only of the squeezed thermal ones.

• Received 10 August 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.68.062309