Macroscopic Quantum Effects in Nonlinear Optical Patterns

We display the results of the numerical simulations of a set of Langevin equations, which describe the dynamics of a degenerate optical parametric oscillator in the Wigner representation. The scan of the threshold region shows the gradual transformation of a quantum image into a classical roll pattern. Thus the quantum image behaves as a precursor of the roll pattern which appears above threshold. In the far field, suitable spatial correlation functions of intensity and field quadratures show unambiguously the quantum nature of fluctuations that generate the image, leading to effects of quantum noise reduction below the shot noise level and to the formulation of an EPR paradox.