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arXiv:1310.5432

Experimental Study of Quantum Noise in Optical Heterodyne Detection

Dechao He, Boya Xie, Yu Xiao, Sheng Feng

Published Oct 21, 2013• 0 citations
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Abstract

We experimentally investigate the quantum-noise performance of a conventional heterodyne detector and find significant discrepancy between experiment and theory. Further investigations are highly recommended for deeper insight into the physics related to the quantum noise in optical heterodyne detection.
DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1310.5432

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Although the quantum behaviors of optical detectors have been considered to be fully understood, a fundamental dilemma inevitably arises regarding a phase-sensitive heterodyne detector. On one hand, the detector should suffer a 3 dB noise penalty caused by an image band vacuum; on the other hand, as a phase-sensitive device, it should be noise free at the quantum level. We report on an experiment on a phase-sensitive heterodyne detector, where the quantum noise of the image band vacuum is absent in the observation. The underlying mechanism behind the observation should be closely related to the origin of the quantum noise in optical detection.
It is nontrivial to describe in theory the quantum behavior of a phase-sensitive heterodyne detector with a bichromatic local oscillator. On the one hand, a 3 dB noise penalty is expected for the detector due to the existence of an image band vacuum, which was assumed in a previous theoretical study. On the other hand, as a phase-sensitive device, the detector should be free of the 3 dB extra quantum noise, as verified by a recent experiment. However, the mechanism for the absence of the 3 dB noise penalty in the experimental observation remains unknown. To understand the relevant physics, we develop a comprehensive quantum theory, in agreement with experiment, for phase-sensitive heterodyne detection. This work should be important for us to understand the origin of the quantum noise in heterodyne detection.
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After reviewing recent work on multiphoton direct detection and single-photon heterodyne detection, we examine the behavior of a multiphoton absorption heterodyne receiver. Expressions are obtained for the detector response, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and minimum detectable power for a number of cases of interest. Receiver performance is found to depend on the higher order correlation functions of the radiation field and on the local oscillator (LO) irradiance. Although performance similar to that of the single-photon heterodyne receiver can theoretically be achieved, practical problems would appear to make this difficult. A physical interpretation of the process in terms of the absorption of monochromatic and nonmonochromatic photons is given. The double-quantum case is treated in particular detail; the results of a preliminary experiment are presented and suggestions for future experiments are provided.
By invoking the quantum theory of optical coherence, we theoretically show that the quantum noise in conventional optical heterodyne devices, which were previously identified as usual phase-insensitive amplifiers with additional quantum noise, is similar to that in optical homodyne devices, as verified by experimental data. Albeit more study is demanded to understand this result, it is certain that neither the uncertainty principle nor Caves's theorem for quantum noise of linear amplifiers sets a limit to the quantum noise of heterodyne devices.