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arXiv:1708.02905 · Physical Review A

Optical sectioning in induced coherence tomography with frequency-entangled photons

Adam Vallés, Gerard Jiménez, Luis José Salazar-Serrano, Juan P. Torres

Published Feb 14, 2018• 86 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We demonstrate a different scheme to perform optical sectioning of a sample based on the concept of induced coherence [Zou et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 318 (1991)]. This can be viewed as a different type of optical coherence tomography scheme where the varying reflectivity of the sample along the direction of propagation of an optical beam translates into changes of the degree of first-order coherence between two beams. As a practical advantage the scheme allows probing the sample with one wavelength and measuring photons with another wavelength. In a bio-imaging scenario, this would result in a deeper penetration into the sample because of probing with longer wavelengths, while still using the optimum wavelength for detection. The scheme proposed here could achieve submicron axial resolution by making use of nonlinear parametric sources with broad spectral bandwidth emission.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.97.023824

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We demonstrate a different scheme to perform optical sectioning of a sample based on the concept of induced coherence [Zou et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 318 (1991)]. This can be viewed as a different type of optical coherence tomography scheme where the varying reflectivity of the sample along the direction of propagation of an optical beam translates into changes of the degree of first-order coherence between two beams. As a practical advantage the scheme allows probing the sample with one wavelength and measuring photons with another wavelength. In a bio-imaging scenario, this would result in a deeper penetration into the sample because of probing with longer wavelengths, while still using the optimum wavelength for detection. The scheme proposed here could achieve submicron axial resolution by making use of nonlinear parametric sources with broad spectral bandwidth emission.
A number of nonclassical (quantum) sources of light have come to the fore in recent years [1], but few practical applications have emerged. One such application is quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT) [2, 3], a fourth-order interferometric optical-sectioning scheme that makes use of frequency-entangled photon pairs generated via spontaneous optical parametric down-conversion (SPDC). A particular merit of QOCT is that it is inherently immune to group-velocity dispersion (GVD) by virtue of the frequency entanglement of the photon pairs [4]-[6]. Conventional optical coherence tomography (OCT) [7], in contrast, is a second-order interferometric scheme that provides high-resolution axial sectioning by employing ultra-broadband light. Unfortunately, however, this leads to GVD, which degrades resolution. Here we present the first experimental QOCT images of a biological sample: an onion-skin tissue coated with gold nanoparticles. Three-dimensional images are displayed in the form of transverse sections at different depths. The results reveal that QOCT is a viable biological imaging technique.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a 3D imaging technique that was introduced in 1991 [Science 254, 1178 (1991); Applied Optics 31, 919 (1992)]. Since 2018 there has been growing interest in a new type of OCT scheme based on the use of so-called nonlinear interferometers, interferometers that contain optical parametric amplifiers. Some of these OCT schemes are based on the idea of induced coherence [Physical Review A 97, 023824 (2018)], while others make use of an SU(1,1) interferometer [Quantum Science and Technology 3 025008 (2018)]. What are the differences and similarities between the output signals measured in standard OCT and in these new OCT schemes? Are there any differences between OCT schemes based on induced coherence and on an SU(1,1) interferometer? Differences can unveil potential advantages of OCT based on nonlinear interferometers when compared with conventional OCT schemes. Similarities might benefit the schemes based on nonlinear interferometers from the wealth of research and technology related to conventional OCT schemes. In all cases we will consider the scheme where the optical sectioning of the sample is obtained by measuring the output signal spectrum (spectral, or Fourier-domain OCT), since it shows better performance in terms of speed and sensitivity than its counterpart time-domain OCT.
There is renewed interest on the concept of induced coherence between beams generated by separate biphoton sources, that has led to the demonstration of new schemes for imaging, spectroscopy, microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT). These schemes make use of continuous wave pumping in the low parametric gain regime, which reflects the frequency entanglement between the down-converted photons. However, is entanglement a requisite to observe induced coherence? Contrary to some claims, we will show that it is not. This might be an advantage for OCT applications. High axial resolution requires a large bandwidth and for continuous wave pumping this requires the use of short nonlinear crystals. This is detrimental since short crystals generate small photon fluxes. We show that the use of ultrashort pump pulses increases axial resolution even with long crystals.
Mid-infrared (mid-IR) light scatters much less than shorter wavelengths, allowing greatly enhanced penetration depths for optical imaging techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT). However, both detection and broadband sources in the mid-IR are technologically challenging. Interfering entangled photons in a nonlinear interferometer enables sensing with undetected photons, making mid-IR sources and detectors obsolete. Here we implement mid-IR frequency-domain OCT based on ultra-broadband entangled photon pairs spanning from 3.3 to 4.3 µm. We demonstrate 10 µm axial and 20 µm lateral resolution 2D and 3D imaging of strongly scattering ceramic and paint samples. By intrinsically being limited only by shot noise, we observe times more sensitivity per integration time and power of the probe light. Together with the vastly reduced footprint and technical complexity, our technique can outperform conventional approaches with classical mid-IR light sources.
Abstract Quantum interferometry based on induced-coherence phenomena has demonstrated the possibility of undetected-photon measurements. Perturbation in the optical path of probe photons can be detected by interference signals generated by quantum mechanically correlated twin photons propagating through a different path, possibly at a different wavelength. To the best of our knowledge, this work demonstrates for the first time a hybrid-type induced-coherence interferometer that incorporates a Mach–Zehnder-type interferometer for near-visible photons and a Michelson-type interferometer for infrared (IR) photons, based on double-pass-pumped spontaneous parametric down-conversion. This configuration enables IR optical measurements via the detection of near-visible photons and provides methods for optimizing the quality of measurements by identifying photon pairs of different origins. We theoretically identify that the induced-coherence interference visibility is approximately the same as the heralding efficiency between twin photons along the relevant spatial modes, and experimentally maximize the visibility by setting up a common reference spatial mode for IR photons. Applications to both time-domain and frequency-domain quantum optical induced-coherence tomography for three-dimensional test structures are demonstrated. The results prove the feasibility of practical undetected-photon sensing and imaging techniques based on the presented structure.