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arXiv:2407.06369 · Optica Quantum

Loss-resilient, x ray interaction-free measurements

Ron Cohen, S. Shwartz, Eliahu Cohen

Published Nov 27, 2024• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Interaction-free measurement (IFM) is a promising technique for low-dose detection and imaging, offering the unique advantage of probing an object with an overall reduced absorption of the interrogating photons. We propose an experiment to demonstrate IFM in the single x ray photon regime. The proposed scheme relies on the triple-Laue (LLL) symmetric x ray interferometer, where each Laue diffraction acts as a lossy beam splitter. In contrast to many quantum effects which are highly vulnerable to loss, we show that an experimental demonstration of this effect in the x ray regime is feasible and can achieve detection with reduced dose and high IFM efficiency even in the presence of substantial loss in the system. The latter aspect is claimed to be a general property of IFM based on our theoretical analysis. We scrutinize two suitable detection schemes that offer a dose reduction of up to half compared with direct detection. The successful demonstration of IFM with x rays promises intriguing possibilities for measurements with reduced dose, mainly advantageous for biological samples, where radiation damage is a significant limitation.

DOI
10.1364/opticaq.535201

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Interaction-free measurement (IFM) is a promising technique for low-dose detection and imaging, offering the unique advantage of probing an object with an overall reduced absorption of the interrogating photons. We propose an experiment to demonstrate IFM in the single x ray photon regime. The proposed scheme relies on the triple-Laue (LLL) symmetric x ray interferometer, where each Laue diffraction acts as a lossy beam splitter. In contrast to many quantum effects which are highly vulnerable to loss, we show that an experimental demonstration of this effect in the x ray regime is feasible and can achieve detection with reduced dose and high IFM efficiency even in the presence of substantial loss in the system. The latter aspect is claimed to be a general property of IFM based on our theoretical analysis. We scrutinize two suitable detection schemes that offer a dose reduction of up to half compared with direct detection. The successful demonstration of IFM with x rays promises intriguing possibilities for measurements with reduced dose, mainly advantageous for biological samples, where radiation damage is a significant limitation.
Interaction-free measurement (IFM) has been proposed as a means of high-resolution, low-damage imaging of radiation-sensitive samples, such as biomolecules and proteins. The basic setup for IFM is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and recent progress in nanofabricated electron-diffraction gratings has made it possible to incorporate a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Therefore, the limits of performance of IFM with such an interferometer and a shot-noise limited electron source (such as that in a TEM) are of interest. In this paper, we compare the error probability and sample damage for ideal IFM and classical imaging schemes, through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. We consider a sample that is either completely transparent or completely opaque at each pixel. In our analysis, we also evaluate the impact of an additional detector for scattered electrons. Inclusion of the scattering detector results in reduction of error by up to an order of magnitude, for both IFM and classical schemes. We also investigate a sample reillumination scheme based on updating priors after each round of illumination and find that this scheme further reduces error. Implementation of these methods is likely achievable with existing instrumentation and would result in improved resolution in low-dose electron microscopy.
Summary form only given.Using the complementary wave-like and particle-like natures of photons, one can make interaction-free measurements (IFM)-the presence of an object can be determined with no photons being absorbed. By using an application of the quantum Zeno effect (weakly and repeatedly testing for the object's presence so that the otherwise coherent evolution of the interrogating photon is inhibited), we have demonstrated the feasibility of IFMs with an efficiency of >85%, higher than that possible in the original IFM scheme, where, at most, half of the measurements could be interaction free. We also investigate various interaction-free imaging systems, demonstrate imaging with a resolution <5 /spl mu/m, and define the limits to these systems. We also discuss in which sense interaction-free measurements really are not.
The phenomenon of interaction-free measurement (IFM) enables the probabilistic detection of an absorbing object with reduced photon absorption. We report the experimental implementation of a generalized IFM of multiple objects using a single quantum probe on the cloud-based Ascella photonic processor developed by Quandela. We demonstrate sequential IFM of up to 5 emulated absorbers using a single photon, significantly extending the original IFM scheme for a single object. The experimental error-mitigated results confirm the theoretical predictions for this sequential IFM setup, and demonstrate a practical approach to scaling IFM to more complex quantum interrogation tasks.
Recently, it has been pointed out that it is possible to make a quantum-mechanical interaction-free measurement (IFM), in which the existence of an object in a given region of space may be determined seemingly without interacting with it.1,2 In the embodiment first proposed by Elitzur and Vaidman,3 a standard Michelson interferometer is aligned so that incident single photons (obtained in our experiment by using parametric downconversion; see Fig. 1) must exit by the same port in which they entered, in the absence of any object within the interferometer. The presence of an object (e.g., the mirror leading to detector DB) in one of the arms completely changes the possible outcomes because the constructive interference is interrupted. Now it is possible that the photon will exit from the other exit port, to detector DIfm. By detecting the photon in this case, one can claim with certainty that an object was within the interferometer, even though the photon could not have interacted with it. If the beam splitter has a very low reflectivity, then the fraction of IFMs approaches 1/2.
The state of the quantum system will inevitably be disturbed and changed in the testing process. Using interaction-free measurement (IFM), the information can be extracted without any interaction between objects and photons or particles. Here we present a novel approach that the refractive index can be measured accurately with "no-touch" measurement between testing materials and light beam. The design system is a non-traditional model of interaction-free measurement with an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer (UMZI), which is combined with the chain quantum Zeno effect and the technique for spatial separation of light field. We select two beams with different intensity distribution in cross-section and different frequency as the transmission source, and the refractive index of samples can be obtained from the contrast degree of two beams under the condition of a few beam splitters existing. The scheme could prevent the damage to the radiation-sensitive optical materials, and provide a new idea for the research and application of precision measurement.
"Interaction-free measurements" (IFM) originate from the latest quantum interferometric technologies. The latest research of quantum optics demonstrates, by using the complementary wavelike and particlelike natures of photons, it is possible to make interaction-free measurements by which the presence of an object can be determined with no photons being absorbed. The paper introduces the concept of "Interaction-free Measurement" (IFM), the original Elitzur-Vaidman scheme, the "High Efficiency Interaction-free Measurement", the application of quantum Zeno effect and the improved scheme proposed by Kwiat et al. The EV scheme is implemented in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Theoretically this paper also draws a conclusion in IFM feasibility by analyzing the wave functions of photon at various locations in the interferometer.