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

Applied Physics Letters

Improvement of photodetection quantum efficiency by noiseless optical preamplification

Kamel Bencheikh, Olivier Lopez, Izo I. Abram, Juan Ariel Levenson

Published Jan 23, 1995• 28 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate experimentally that a phase-sensitive optical parametric amplifier used to amplify the incoming optical signal on a lossy photodiode improves the noise figure of detection. At high parametric gains this noise figure tends to 0 dB corresponding to a detection quantum efficiency approaching 100%. This result contrasts with the performance of preamplification by a classical laserlike amplifier in which the noise figure tends to 3 dB giving a saturation of the detection quantum efficiency at 50%.

DOI
10.1063/1.114201

Related papers

Reduction of quantum noise in optical parametric amplification

Juan Ariel Levenson, Philippe Grangier, Izo I. Abram +1 more

We experimentally demonstrate that a type-II pulsed optical parametric amplifier operated in a phase-insensitive configuration works as a near-perfect classical optical amplifier whose noise figure approaches 3 dB at high gains. We further demonstrate that, when operated in a phase-sensitive configuration, this amplifier works as a quantum-optical amplifier whose noise figure goes below 3 dB and approaches 0 dB at high gains. The noise figure of 1.45 ± 0.2 dB, measured for a gain of 9 dB, is clearly in the quantum regime.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Nov 1, 1993•170 citations

Observation of Noiseless Image Amplification by an Optical Parametric Amplifier

Sang-Kyung Choi, Michael Vasilyev, Prem Kumar

A spatially-broadband optical parametric amplifier is used for image amplification. In the phase-sensitive configuration, we observe a noise figure of −0.1± 0.3dB for a gain of 2.4, which is 2dB lower than the quantum limit for an ideal phase-insensitive amplifier. Image pre-amplification before loss is shown to improve the detected signal-to-noise ratio.

Kluwer Academic Publishers eBooks•Dec 19, 2005•1 citation

Noiseless Optical Amplification of Images

Sang-Kyung Choi, Michael Vasilyev, Prem Kumar

We used a spatially broadband optical parametric amplifier for image amplification. In the phase-sensitive configuration of the amplifier, we observed noiseless amplification of input images. For a gain of $\ensuremath{\simeq}2.5$, we measured noise-figure values of ( $0.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6$) and ( $0.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5$) dB, respectively, for two amplifiers of different lengths. These experimental values agree with theory (for an ideal noiseless amplifier the noise figure is 0 dB) and are almost 2 dB lower than the quantum limit of an ideal phase-insensitive amplifier.

Physical Review Letters•Sep 6, 1999•135 citations

Quantum fluctuation in traveling-wave amplification of optical images

I. V. Sokolov, Mikhail I. Kolobov, Luigi A. Lugiato

We investigate amplification of optical images by means of a traveling-wave optical parametric amplifier. As shown recently by Kolobov and Lugiato [Phys. Rev. A 52, 4930 (1995)] for a cavity-based geometry, such a scheme can amplify images, without deteriorating their sign-to-noise ratio, thus working as a noiseless amplifier. Here we consider a configuration without cavity, which is more realistic for a possible experimental realization. We investigate in detail the quantum fluctuations of the amplifier and formulate criteria for its noiseless performance. The spatial resolution power, which guarantees noiseless amplification is estimated. We demonstrate how the optimum phase matching of a phase-sensitive wavefront of the image can improve the noise performance of the amplifier and bring it to the ultimate value achievable under given physical conditions. We discuss the effect of improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio in the case of observation of both the input and the amplified image, with an ideal photodetector of small area (i.e., much less than the coherence area of the amplifier). This improvement is due to the fact that the signal-to-noise ratio in the input is deteriorated by the observation with the photodetector of small area.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Feb 25, 1999•1 citation

Assessment of image resolution improvement by phase-sensitive optical parametric amplification

Zhifeng Huang, D. French, Hsueh‐Yuan Pao +1 more

Classical information theory can be used to quantify the resolution performance of optical imaging systems. When an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) operated as a phase-sensitive amplifier (PSA) in the transverse spatial domain is used for point source imaging, the angular resolution improvement can approach the de Broglie resolution (i.e. Heisenberg limit). In this paper, classical information theory is employed to quantify the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement for both an ideal and a realistic multimode PSA applied to the problem of sub-Rayleigh imaging. When only considering the noise originating from the detector, the SNR improvement is found to scale quadratically as a function of the PSA gain, in the limit of noise power comparable to signal power. Differences in performance of an ideal PSA and a realistic PSA are discussed.

Applied Physics B•Jun 17, 2010•3 citations

Quantum enhancement of a coherent ladar receiver using phase-sensitive amplification

Peter A. Wasilousky, Kevin H. Smith, Ryan T. Glasser +25 more

We demonstrate a balanced-homodyne LADAR receiver employing a phase-sensitive amplifier (PSA) to raise the effective photon detection efficiency (PDE) to nearly 100%. Since typical LADAR receivers suffer from losses in the receive optical train that routinely limit overall PDE to less than 50% thus degrading SNR, PSA can provide significant improvement through amplification with noise figure near 0 dB. Receiver inefficiencies arise from sub-unity quantum efficiency, array fill factors, signal-local oscillator mixing efficiency (in coherent receivers), etc. The quantum-enhanced LADAR receiver described herein is employed in target discrimination scenarios as well as in imaging applications. We present results showing the improvement in detection performance achieved with a PSA, and discuss the performance advantage when compared to the use of a phase-insensitive amplifier, which cannot amplify noiselessly.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Aug 30, 2011•10 citations
We demonstrate experimentally that a phase-sensitive optical parametric amplifier used to amplify the incoming optical signal on a lossy photodiode improves the noise figure of detection. At high parametric gains this noise figure tends to 0 dB corresponding to a detection quantum efficiency approaching 100%. This result contrasts with the performance of preamplification by a classical laserlike amplifier in which the noise figure tends to 3 dB giving a saturation of the detection quantum efficiency at 50%.
We experimentally demonstrate that a type-II pulsed optical parametric amplifier operated in a phase-insensitive configuration works as a near-perfect classical optical amplifier whose noise figure approaches 3 dB at high gains. We further demonstrate that, when operated in a phase-sensitive configuration, this amplifier works as a quantum-optical amplifier whose noise figure goes below 3 dB and approaches 0 dB at high gains. The noise figure of 1.45 ± 0.2 dB, measured for a gain of 9 dB, is clearly in the quantum regime.
We used a spatially broadband optical parametric amplifier for image amplification. In the phase-sensitive configuration of the amplifier, we observed noiseless amplification of input images. For a gain of $\ensuremath{\simeq}2.5$, we measured noise-figure values of ( $0.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6$) and ( $0.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5$) dB, respectively, for two amplifiers of different lengths. These experimental values agree with theory (for an ideal noiseless amplifier the noise figure is 0 dB) and are almost 2 dB lower than the quantum limit of an ideal phase-insensitive amplifier.
We investigate amplification of optical images by means of a traveling-wave optical parametric amplifier. As shown recently by Kolobov and Lugiato [Phys. Rev. A 52, 4930 (1995)] for a cavity-based geometry, such a scheme can amplify images, without deteriorating their sign-to-noise ratio, thus working as a noiseless amplifier. Here we consider a configuration without cavity, which is more realistic for a possible experimental realization. We investigate in detail the quantum fluctuations of the amplifier and formulate criteria for its noiseless performance. The spatial resolution power, which guarantees noiseless amplification is estimated. We demonstrate how the optimum phase matching of a phase-sensitive wavefront of the image can improve the noise performance of the amplifier and bring it to the ultimate value achievable under given physical conditions. We discuss the effect of improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio in the case of observation of both the input and the amplified image, with an ideal photodetector of small area (i.e., much less than the coherence area of the amplifier). This improvement is due to the fact that the signal-to-noise ratio in the input is deteriorated by the observation with the photodetector of small area.
Classical information theory can be used to quantify the resolution performance of optical imaging systems. When an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) operated as a phase-sensitive amplifier (PSA) in the transverse spatial domain is used for point source imaging, the angular resolution improvement can approach the de Broglie resolution (i.e. Heisenberg limit). In this paper, classical information theory is employed to quantify the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement for both an ideal and a realistic multimode PSA applied to the problem of sub-Rayleigh imaging. When only considering the noise originating from the detector, the SNR improvement is found to scale quadratically as a function of the PSA gain, in the limit of noise power comparable to signal power. Differences in performance of an ideal PSA and a realistic PSA are discussed.
We demonstrate a balanced-homodyne LADAR receiver employing a phase-sensitive amplifier (PSA) to raise the effective photon detection efficiency (PDE) to nearly 100%. Since typical LADAR receivers suffer from losses in the receive optical train that routinely limit overall PDE to less than 50% thus degrading SNR, PSA can provide significant improvement through amplification with noise figure near 0 dB. Receiver inefficiencies arise from sub-unity quantum efficiency, array fill factors, signal-local oscillator mixing efficiency (in coherent receivers), etc. The quantum-enhanced LADAR receiver described herein is employed in target discrimination scenarios as well as in imaging applications. We present results showing the improvement in detection performance achieved with a PSA, and discuss the performance advantage when compared to the use of a phase-insensitive amplifier, which cannot amplify noiselessly.