Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Role of multiphoton bunching in high-order ghost imaging with thermal light sources

Qian Liu, Xi-Hao Chen, Kai-Hong Luo, Wei Tao Wu, Ling-An Wu

Published May 22, 2009• 49 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The intrinsic higher-order correlation of intensities which gives a measure of ``pure'' correlations among photons (corresponding to multiphoton bunching) is investigated with regard to ghost imaging with thermal light. The synchronous detection of the same light field by all reference detectors, which is a necessary condition for achieving an $N\text{th}$-order ghost image based on $N$-photon bunching, is discussed. Furthermore, it is found that the enhanced high visibility of $N\text{th}$-order ghost imaging is a consequence of the contribution of $N$-photon bunching, which is not a small value but is equal to the sum of all contributions from $(N\ensuremath{-}1)$-photon bunching. These results differ from those obtained by certain other groups.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.79.053844

Related papers

The role of four-photon bunching in fourth-order correlation of thermal light in the photon counting regime

Feng Wen, Xun Zhang, Chenzhi Yuan +4 more

Abstract We theoretically discuss the fourth-order spatial correlation and four-photon bunching properties of pseudo-thermal light in the photon counting regime. It is found that four-photon bunching has the maximum correlation. If they all come from the same spatial cell in phase space, then fourth-order spatial correlation can be decomposed into not only auto-correlation and cross-correlation of second- and third- order, but the pure correlations among four photons as well, which is just the four-photon bunching. In addition, we also show that the contribution from four-photon bunching leads to the enhancement of the resolution and visibility in fourth-order ghost imaging. More precisely, the contribution from four-photon bunching to fourth-order spatial correlation is equal to the sum of all contributions from two-photon bunching and three-photon bunching when three reference detectors are scanned along the identical orientation and speed. On the other hand, the sum of all contributions from two-photon bunching and three-photon bunching to fourth-order spatial correlation will exceed the contribution from four-photon bunching, when two of three reference detectors are scanned in the same orientation and the speed of one reference detector is twice that of the other; meanwhile, the other two reference detectors are moved with opposite orientation but identical speed.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Mar 17, 2015•2 citations

Theoretical scheme of thermal-light many-ghost imaging by N th-order intensity correlation

Ying-Chuan Liu, Le‐Man Kuang

In this paper, we propose a theoretical scheme of many-ghost imaging in terms of $N$th-order correlated thermal light. We obtain the Gaussian thin lens equations in the many-ghost imaging protocol. We show that it is possible to produce $N\ensuremath{-}1$ ghost images of an object at different places in a nonlocal fashion by means of a higher order correlated imaging process with an $N$th-order correlated thermal source and correlation measurements. We investigate the visibility of the ghost images in the scheme and obtain the upper bounds of the visibility for the $N$th-order correlated thermal-light ghost imaging. It is found that the visibility of the ghost images can be dramatically enhanced when the order of correlation becomes larger. It is pointed out that the many-ghost imaging phenomenon is an observable physical effect induced by higher order coherence or higher order correlations of optical fields.

Physical Review A•May 6, 2011•17 citations

Third-order correlation function and ghost imaging of chaotic thermal light in the photon counting regime

Yu Zhou, Jason Simon, Jianbin Liu +1 more

In a near-field three-photon correlation measurement, we observed the third-order temporal and spatial correlation functions of chaotic thermal light in the single-photon counting regime. In the study, we found that the probability of jointly detecting three randomly radiated photons from a chaotic thermal source by three individual detectors is $6$ times greater if the photodetection events fall in the coherence time and coherence area of the radiation field than if they do not. From the viewpoint of quantum mechanics, the observed phenomenon is the result of three-photon interference. By making use of this property, we measured the three-photon thermal light lensless ghost image of a double spot and achieved higher visibility compared with the two-photon thermal light ghost image.

Physical Review A•Apr 26, 2010•71 citations

Third-order optical intensity correlation measurements of pseudo-thermal light

Xi-Hao Chen, Wei Tao Wu, Shao-Ying Meng +1 more

Third-order Hanbrury Brown—Twiss and double-slit interference experiments with a pseudo-thermal light are performed by recording intensities in single, double and triple optical paths, respectively. The experimental results verifies the theoretical prediction that the indispensable condition for achieving a interference pattern or ghost image in N th-order intensity correlation measurements is the synchronous detection of the same light field by each reference detector, no matter the intensities recorded in one, or two, or N optical paths. It is shown that, when the reference detectors are scanned in the opposite directions, the visibility and resolution of the third-order spatial correlation function of thermal light is much better than that scanned in the same direction, but it is no use for obtaining the N th-order interference pattern or ghost image in the thermal N th-order interference or ghost imaging.

Chinese Physics B•Sep 1, 2014•2 citations

Multiphoton Coherence of Thermal Light

Yu Jie Zhou

Multiparticle interference is one of the most surprising consequences of quantum mechanics. In quantum theory, a interference happens between different, yet indistinguishable probability amplitudes. Probability amplitudes can be nonlocal when they are connected with systems including several particles. The interference between these nonlcoal probability amplitudes sometimes can only be understood by quantum theory. In this dissertation, the multiphoton coherence of thermal light is studied, theoretically and experimentally, as the consequences of interference between nonlcoal probability amplitudes. The study showed that the higher order correlation functions of thermal light had higher contrast compared with the lower order correlation functions. For example, the contrast of the Nth order correlation function of thermal light can reach N!:1. This is because in higher order correlation functions there are more cross terms from interference contribute to the correlation peak. In this dissertation, the high contrast property is employed to increase the contrast of thermal light ghost imaging. An experiment showed that the contrast of the third order ghost image is significantly improved compared with that of the second order ghost image.

•Jan 1, 2010•0 citations

High-visibility ghost imaging with phase-controlled discrete classical light sources

Xueying 雪滢 Wu 仵, Yue Zhao, Liming Li

Abstract We take phase modulation to create discrete phase-controlled sources and realize the super-bunching effect by a phase-correlated method. From theoretical and numerical simulations, we find the space translation invariance of the bunching effect is a key point for the ghost imaging realization. Experimentally, we create the orderly phase-correlated discrete sources which can realize high-visibility second-order ghost imaging than the result with chaotic sources. Moreover, some factors affecting the visibility of ghost image are discussed in detail.

Chinese Physics B•May 2, 2024•0 citations
The intrinsic higher-order correlation of intensities which gives a measure of ``pure'' correlations among photons (corresponding to multiphoton bunching) is investigated with regard to ghost imaging with thermal light. The synchronous detection of the same light field by all reference detectors, which is a necessary condition for achieving an NthN\text{th}Nth-order ghost image based on NNN-photon bunching, is discussed. Furthermore, it is found that the enhanced high visibility of NthN\text{th}Nth-order ghost imaging is a consequence of the contribution of NNN-photon bunching, which is not a small value but is equal to the sum of all contributions from (N\ensuremath−1)(N\ensuremath{-}1)(N\ensuremath−1)-photon bunching. These results differ from those obtained by certain other groups.
Abstract We theoretically discuss the fourth-order spatial correlation and four-photon bunching properties of pseudo-thermal light in the photon counting regime. It is found that four-photon bunching has the maximum correlation. If they all come from the same spatial cell in phase space, then fourth-order spatial correlation can be decomposed into not only auto-correlation and cross-correlation of second- and third- order, but the pure correlations among four photons as well, which is just the four-photon bunching. In addition, we also show that the contribution from four-photon bunching leads to the enhancement of the resolution and visibility in fourth-order ghost imaging. More precisely, the contribution from four-photon bunching to fourth-order spatial correlation is equal to the sum of all contributions from two-photon bunching and three-photon bunching when three reference detectors are scanned along the identical orientation and speed. On the other hand, the sum of all contributions from two-photon bunching and three-photon bunching to fourth-order spatial correlation will exceed the contribution from four-photon bunching, when two of three reference detectors are scanned in the same orientation and the speed of one reference detector is twice that of the other; meanwhile, the other two reference detectors are moved with opposite orientation but identical speed.
In this paper, we propose a theoretical scheme of many-ghost imaging in terms of NNNth-order correlated thermal light. We obtain the Gaussian thin lens equations in the many-ghost imaging protocol. We show that it is possible to produce $N\ensuremath{-}1$ ghost images of an object at different places in a nonlocal fashion by means of a higher order correlated imaging process with an NNNth-order correlated thermal source and correlation measurements. We investigate the visibility of the ghost images in the scheme and obtain the upper bounds of the visibility for the NNNth-order correlated thermal-light ghost imaging. It is found that the visibility of the ghost images can be dramatically enhanced when the order of correlation becomes larger. It is pointed out that the many-ghost imaging phenomenon is an observable physical effect induced by higher order coherence or higher order correlations of optical fields.
In a near-field three-photon correlation measurement, we observed the third-order temporal and spatial correlation functions of chaotic thermal light in the single-photon counting regime. In the study, we found that the probability of jointly detecting three randomly radiated photons from a chaotic thermal source by three individual detectors is 666 times greater if the photodetection events fall in the coherence time and coherence area of the radiation field than if they do not. From the viewpoint of quantum mechanics, the observed phenomenon is the result of three-photon interference. By making use of this property, we measured the three-photon thermal light lensless ghost image of a double spot and achieved higher visibility compared with the two-photon thermal light ghost image.
Third-order Hanbrury Brown—Twiss and double-slit interference experiments with a pseudo-thermal light are performed by recording intensities in single, double and triple optical paths, respectively. The experimental results verifies the theoretical prediction that the indispensable condition for achieving a interference pattern or ghost image in N th-order intensity correlation measurements is the synchronous detection of the same light field by each reference detector, no matter the intensities recorded in one, or two, or N optical paths. It is shown that, when the reference detectors are scanned in the opposite directions, the visibility and resolution of the third-order spatial correlation function of thermal light is much better than that scanned in the same direction, but it is no use for obtaining the N th-order interference pattern or ghost image in the thermal N th-order interference or ghost imaging.
Multiparticle interference is one of the most surprising consequences of quantum mechanics. In quantum theory, a interference happens between different, yet indistinguishable probability amplitudes. Probability amplitudes can be nonlocal when they are connected with systems including several particles. The interference between these nonlcoal probability amplitudes sometimes can only be understood by quantum theory. In this dissertation, the multiphoton coherence of thermal light is studied, theoretically and experimentally, as the consequences of interference between nonlcoal probability amplitudes. The study showed that the higher order correlation functions of thermal light had higher contrast compared with the lower order correlation functions. For example, the contrast of the Nth order correlation function of thermal light can reach N!:1. This is because in higher order correlation functions there are more cross terms from interference contribute to the correlation peak. In this dissertation, the high contrast property is employed to increase the contrast of thermal light ghost imaging. An experiment showed that the contrast of the third order ghost image is significantly improved compared with that of the second order ghost image.
Abstract We take phase modulation to create discrete phase-controlled sources and realize the super-bunching effect by a phase-correlated method. From theoretical and numerical simulations, we find the space translation invariance of the bunching effect is a key point for the ghost imaging realization. Experimentally, we create the orderly phase-correlated discrete sources which can realize high-visibility second-order ghost imaging than the result with chaotic sources. Moreover, some factors affecting the visibility of ghost image are discussed in detail.