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

Bulletin of the American Physical Society

Beating the Shot-Noise Limit with Partially-Distinguishable Photons

Patrick M. Birchall, Javier Sabines-Chesterking, Jeremy L. O’Brien, Hugo V. Cable, Jonathan C. F. Matthews

Published Mar 17, 2016• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Related papers

Beating the Shot-Noise Limit with Sources of Partially-Distinguishable Photons

Patrick M. Birchall, Javier Sabines-Chesterking, Jeremy L. O’Brien +2 more

Quantum metrology promises high-precision measurements beyond the capability of any classical techniques, and has the potential to be integral to investigative techniques. However, all sensors must tolerate imperfections if they are to be practical. Here we show that photons with perfectly overlapped modes, which are therefore fully indistinguishable, are not required for quantum-enhanced measurement, and that partially-distinguishable photons do not have to be engineered to mitigate the adverse effects of distinguishability. We quantify the effect of distinguishability on quantum metrology experiments, and report results of an experiment to verify that two- and four-photon states containing partially-distinguishable photons can achieve quantum-enhanced sensitivity with low-visibility quantum interference. This demonstrates that sources producing photons with mixed spectral states can be readily utilized for quantum metrology.

arXiv:1603.00686•Mar 2, 2016•3 citations

An open problem in quantum shot noise

Gerhard C. Hegerfeldt

Lecture notes in mathematics•Jan 1, 1990•0 citations

Photo-assisted Shot Noise as universal photon detectors

D. C. Glattli, Y. Jompol, Ivana Petković +2 more

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•Mar 19, 2010•0 citations

Sub–shot-noise sensitivities without entanglement

Fabio Benatti, Daniel Braun

We critically analyze the commonly maintained statement that entanglement is necessary to beat the shot-noise limit or standard quantum limit (SQL) in the sensitivity with which certain parameters can be measured in interferometric experiments. We consider in detail three different physical realizations of a beam splitter and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer using photons, massive bosons, and distinguishable spins or qubits. We study several input states and the corresponding definitions of entanglement. We show that mode entanglement is not required for photons or massive bosons for beating the SQL. In particular, with a fluctuating number of two-mode bosons, the shot-noise limit can be beaten by nonentangled bosonic states with all bosons in one mode. As a consequence, the trivially present entanglement due to symmetrization that appears when writing bosonic states in terms of individual particles is a useful resource for precision measurements.

arXiv:1109.0206•Physical Review A•Jan 31, 2013•34 citations

Sub-shot-noise-limited phase estimation via SU(1,1) interferometer with thermal states

Xiaoping Ma, Chenglong You, Sushovit Adhikari +4 more

We theoretically study the phase sensitivity of an SU(1,1) interferometer with a thermal state and a squeezed vacuum state as inputs and parity detection as the measurement. We find that the phase sensitivity can beat the shot-noise limit and approaches the Heisenberg limit, with increasing input photon number, in an ideal situation. We also consider the e ect of various noises, including photon loss, dark counts, and thermal photon noise. Our results show that the phase sensitivity is below the shot-noise limit with photon loss and dark counts, but cannot beat the shot-noise limit in the presence of thermal noise.

Civil War Book Review•Jul 9, 2018•16 citations

On Collisions Between Photons

A. Ll. Hughes, G. E. M. Jauncey

Physical Review•Feb 1, 1934•0 citations
Quantum metrology promises high-precision measurements beyond the capability of any classical techniques, and has the potential to be integral to investigative techniques. However, all sensors must tolerate imperfections if they are to be practical. Here we show that photons with perfectly overlapped modes, which are therefore fully indistinguishable, are not required for quantum-enhanced measurement, and that partially-distinguishable photons do not have to be engineered to mitigate the adverse effects of distinguishability. We quantify the effect of distinguishability on quantum metrology experiments, and report results of an experiment to verify that two- and four-photon states containing partially-distinguishable photons can achieve quantum-enhanced sensitivity with low-visibility quantum interference. This demonstrates that sources producing photons with mixed spectral states can be readily utilized for quantum metrology.
We critically analyze the commonly maintained statement that entanglement is necessary to beat the shot-noise limit or standard quantum limit (SQL) in the sensitivity with which certain parameters can be measured in interferometric experiments. We consider in detail three different physical realizations of a beam splitter and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer using photons, massive bosons, and distinguishable spins or qubits. We study several input states and the corresponding definitions of entanglement. We show that mode entanglement is not required for photons or massive bosons for beating the SQL. In particular, with a fluctuating number of two-mode bosons, the shot-noise limit can be beaten by nonentangled bosonic states with all bosons in one mode. As a consequence, the trivially present entanglement due to symmetrization that appears when writing bosonic states in terms of individual particles is a useful resource for precision measurements.
We theoretically study the phase sensitivity of an SU(1,1) interferometer with a thermal state and a squeezed vacuum state as inputs and parity detection as the measurement. We find that the phase sensitivity can beat the shot-noise limit and approaches the Heisenberg limit, with increasing input photon number, in an ideal situation. We also consider the e ect of various noises, including photon loss, dark counts, and thermal photon noise. Our results show that the phase sensitivity is below the shot-noise limit with photon loss and dark counts, but cannot beat the shot-noise limit in the presence of thermal noise.