Quantum parametric mode sorting: a case study on small angle scattering

Abstract

Quantum parametric mode sorting has been shown to enable photon counting with precise time gating and exceptional noise rejection that significantly exceeds what is possible with linear filters. While previous experimental demonstrations were in a collinear optical configuration, its response to off-axis scattering must be understood to apply it more broadly in remote sensing missions. To evaluate this prospect, we use a laboratory testbed to examine its performance for detecting photons at small angles, along both forward and backward directions, after passing through strongly scattering media. Our results find no measurable degradation in detecting noncollinear photons along both directions. This finding indicates that the key intra-pulse coherence essential to quantum parametric mode sorting is maintained at a small scattering angle, permitting its applications on a moving platform.

Photon Counting Elastography

“…2 may be further analyzed to form a "3D" elastogram, i.e., a layer-by-layer tomography of the samples' elasticity. This is possible thanks to QPMS' combined advantages in picosecond time gating, singe photon counting, and multiscattering noise rejection [12], which imply new capabilities in sensing and imaging. A potential application is deep-tissue elastography, where the mechanical properties of an obscured target can be measured in vivo.…”

“…This offers precise measurement of the target' mechanical response to external forces applied, including its elasticity. The second is QPMS, which maximally rejects the background noises from ambient light or multiscattering [12], so that the ultraweak, single-photon level signals can be detected reliably despite much stronger noises. This is the key for the technique to work in ambient environment and achieve high penetration depth [13].…”

“…Thus far, QPMS has been applied to sort time-frequency [17] and spatiotemporal modes [19,20]. QPMS-based 3D imagers have also been demonstrated with exceptional penetration depth, loss tolerance, and noise resilience [11][12][13].…”

2D signal estimation for sparse distributed target photon counting data

“…Quantum Parametric Mode Sorting (QPMS) is a lidar technique often employing time tagging. It leverages mode matching criteria in nonlinear photonic crystals to improve the SNR in the optical signals reaching the detectors, as outlined in 19 , 20 . While this technique may enable much better noise rejection, it comes at the cost of significantly lower total photon flux on the detectors due to the tightly constrained mode selection criteria.…”

Non-contact elasticity contrast imaging using photon counting

“… 22 , 23 QPMS-based 3D imagers have also been demonstrated with exceptional penetration depth, loss tolerance, and noise resilience. 11 , 12 , 24 In this work, we apply QPMS for elastography. While our current demonstrations are on 2D imaging only, the same technique can be used to construct 3D elastograms with considerable penetration depth.…”