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arXiv:2306.06676

Astrophysically sourced quantum coherent photonic signals

Arjun Berera, Jaime Calderón-Figueroa, Liang Chen, Thomas W. Kephart

Published Jun 11, 2023• 0 citations
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Abstract

Stimulated emission is shown to be robust in stars. Through Bose enhancement this produces quantum states of aligned, monochromatic photons similar to a laser. The probability of creating such states is computed. We show that from the solar corona such quantum states would propagate outside of the solar region and through the Solar System without decoherence. For a $1 {\rm m}^2$ detector at the distance of the Earth from the Sun we estimate rates of such quantum states in the few per second thus potentially detectable. The same process should lead to such quantum states also arriving from stars at interstellar distances.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2306.06676

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The direct detection and characterization of exoplanets remains a grand challenge in astrophysics, primarily due to the overwhelming brightness contrast between a host star and its orbiting planets. Coronagraphy and interferometry are established techniques designed to mitigate this stellar glare, but their performance is fundamentally limited by classical noise sources, including shot noise and detector inefficiencies. This paper explores the burgeoning field of quantum-enhanced interferometry as a paradigm-shifting approach to overcome these classical limitations in the context of exoplanet coronagraphy. We review the principles of high-contrast imaging, the fundamental limits of classical interferometry, and introduce how quantum resources, such as entangled photons and quantum non-demolition measurements, can enable sensitivities beyond the standard quantum limit. Specifically, we investigate how quantum correlation techniques and super-resolution concepts can be integrated into advanced coronagraphic and interferometric architectures to significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio for faint planetary signals. The proposed methodologies aim to leverage quantum metrology principles to reduce noise floors, enhance angular resolution, and suppress unwanted starlight, thereby paving the way for the direct imaging and spectroscopic characterization of Earth-like exoplanets in the habitable zones of distant stars. This theoretical framework provides a roadmap for future experimental endeavors and mission concepts that could unlock unprecedented capabilities in exoplanet research.
Stimulated emission is shown to be robust in stars. Through Bose enhancement this produces quantum states of aligned, monochromatic photons somewhat similar to a laser. The probability of creating such states is computed. We show that from the solar corona such quantum states would propagate outside of the solar region and through the Solar System without decoherence. For a $1\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ test detector at the distance of the Earth from the Sun, we estimate rates of such quantum states in the few per second thus potentially detectable. The same process should lead to such quantum states also arriving from stars at interstellar distances.
We found that the most feasible naturally produced quantum entanglement between two distant particles from astrophysical regions is the two-photon spontaneous transition of the hydrogen 2 2 S 1/2 metastable level, which is known to be one of the components of the continuous spectra of ionized regions.We calculate the two-photon emission rate the Orion Nebula, two nearby planetary nebulae IC 2149 and NGC 7293, and the Solar Corona; whose production of entangled pairs per second is 5.80 × 10 48 , 9.39 × 10 45 , 9.77 × 10 44 , and 1.46 × 10 16 respectively.The distribution of the propagation directions of both emitted photons does not vanish at any angle; therefore it is possible to observe the entangled pair at an angles θ ≈ 0 • .Because the number of two-photon coincidences goes as the fourth power of the ratio between the detector size and the distance from the astrophysical object, coincidences are scarce; for its detection we required receivers with a size much larger than those currently available.