Resolution-enhanced quantum imaging by centroid estimation of biphotons

Abstract

The spatial resolution of an optical system is limited by diffraction. Various schemes have been proposed to achieve resolution enhancement by employing either a scanning source/detector configuration or a two-photon response of the object. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a full-field resolution-enhancing scheme, based on the centroid estimation of spatially quantum-correlated biphotons. Our standard-quantum-limited scheme is able to image a general non-fluorescing object, using low-energy and low-intensity infrared illumination (i.e., with <0.001 photon per pixel per frame at 710 nm), achieving 41% of the theoretically available resolution enhancement. Images of real-world objects are shown for visual comparison, in which the classically bound resolution is surpassed using our technically straightforward quantum-imaging scheme. Published by The Optical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

Imaging through noise with quantum illumination

“…Furthermore, a demonstration of the quantum illumination protocol in which thermal light, as opposed to a coherent state, is used as the incoming parasitic light so as to better represent environmental light statistics would be a demonstration of the potential real-world applications of the quantum illumination protocol.In quantum imaging, commonly used properties are spatial quantum-correlations, which can be exploited to surpass the classical limits of imaging [12,13,14,15,16]. These quantum-correlations have been used in the case of NOON states for enhanced phase detection [17,18], through the use of definite number of photons, to improve the signal to noise ratio for measuring the absorption of objects through sub-shot-noise measurements [15,19,20,21], and to perform resolution-enhanced imaging by centroid estimation of photon-pairs [22]. Such schemes rely on the ability to detect and utilise quantum proprieties after the probed object, and are therefore sensitive to decoherence through the introduction of environmental noise and optical losses that lead to severe degradation of the quantum enhancement [23].…”

Imaging with quantum states of light

“…The developments that are currently ongoing have the potential to bring efficient imaging techniques and sensors to new domains of optics. Further to the potential applications of quantum imaging schemes, it has been demonstrated that imaging schemes at conventional wavelengths can be improved by using quantum sources, either by enhancing the resolution or decreasing the noise of images [141,52]. Future developments in quantum imaging could come through new approaches such as quantum image processing [191] or through exploiting quantum correlations via different methods such as correlation plenoptic imaging [192].…”

“…In the context of full field imaging of non fluorescing objects (that is, without scanning), states exhibiting quantum correlated illumination can be used to gain a resolution improvement [132]. Recently, we have demonstrated a resolution enhancement in full-field imaging under of non fluo-rescing objects [141] using a centroid measurement detection method for bi-photons [142].…”

Imaging and certifying high-dimensional entanglement with a single-photon avalanche diode camera

“…The governing law for this process is momentum conservation that ensures correlations between the photons in the pair 19,20 . These correlations can be exploited for ghost imaging [21][22][23] , imaging Bell-type non-local behaviour 24 , imaging at enhanced spatial resolution 25,26 , quantum-enhanced target detection 27 and to distil an image encoded in quantum states in the presence of classical background radiation 28,29 . We note that recently, Ianzano et al 30 have demonstrated the measurement of polarisation entanglement using a camera, owing to its high-temporal resolution (1.5 ns).…”