Abstract Quantum remote sensing utilizes quantum entanglement between the probe and the receiver to enhance the capability to sense a remote target. Quantum illumination is considered as a promising protocol to realize such a quantum technology in an environment of high loss and intense noise. However, the protocol requires an additional on-demand quantum memory, the imperfect performance of which diminishes the quantum advantage and limits the enhancement of sensing. In this paper, we propose a new protocol for quantum remote sensing based on quantum illumination with atom-light entangled interface. Compared to conventional light-only quantum illumination, the proposed protocol utilizes Raman coupling to create a long-lived atomic spin wave entangled with a Stokes light. The atomic spin wave, automatically built-in memory via the Raman coupling, acts as a local reference. The entangled Stokes light is used as a probe to irradiate a remote target. Meanwhile, the returned probe light from target is detected through coupling again to the atomic spin wave. A joint measurement on the returned probe light and spin wave is performed to discriminate the target. A 4 dB quantum enhancement over classical illumination is estimated. The atom-light entangled interface naturally integrates the quantum source, quantum memory, and quantum receiver in a single unit which exhibits great potential to develop highly compact and portable devices for quantum-enhanced remote sensing.
Abstract Quantum remote sensing utilizes quantum entanglement between the probe and the receiver to enhance the capability to sense a remote target. Quantum illumination is considered as a promising protocol to realize such a quantum technology in an environment of high loss and intense noise. However, the protocol requires an additional on-demand quantum memory, the imperfect performance of which diminishes the quantum advantage and limits the enhancement of sensing. In this paper, we propose a new protocol for quantum remote sensing based on quantum illumination with atom-light entangled interface. Compared to conventional light-only quantum illumination, the proposed protocol utilizes Raman coupling to create a long-lived atomic spin wave entangled with a Stokes light. The atomic spin wave, automatically built-in memory via the Raman coupling, acts as a local reference. The entangled Stokes light is used as a probe to irradiate a remote target. Meanwhile, the returned probe light from target is detected through coupling again to the atomic spin wave. A joint measurement on the returned probe light and spin wave is performed to discriminate the target. A 4 dB quantum enhancement over classical illumination is estimated. The atom-light entangled interface naturally integrates the quantum source, quantum memory, and quantum receiver in a single unit which exhibits great potential to develop highly compact and portable devices for quantum-enhanced remote sensing.
Quantum-enhanced sensing has a goal of enhancing a parameter sensitivity with input quantum states, while quantum illumination has a goal of enhancing a target detection capability with input entangled states in a heavy noise environment. Here we propose a concatenation between quantum-enhanced sensing and quantum illumination that can take quantum advantage over the classical limit. First, phase sensing in an interferometry is connected to a target sensing via quantum Fisher information. Second, the target sensitivity is investigated in noisy quantum-enhanced sensing. Under the same input state energy, for example, N-photon entangled states can exhibit better performance than a two-mode squeezed vacuum state and a separable coherent state. Incorporating a photon-number difference measurement, finally, the noisy target sensitivity is connected to a signal-to-noise ratio which is associated with a minimum error probability of discriminating the presence and absence of the target. We show that both the target sensitivity and the signal-to-noise ratio can be enhanced with increasing thermal noise.
Summary form only given. A new approach to the problem of the quantum interface between light and atoms has been recently developed. The method utilizes free space dispersive interaction between pulses of light and spin polarized atomic ensembles. Entanglement between the polarization state of light and the collective spin state of atoms is established by measurement, more precisely by detection of light in a certain polarization basis. In the first demonstration of this approach we have generated a long-lived entangled state of two separate macroscopic atomic samples by a polarization measurement on light transmitted through the samples. We then have shown that this approach also works for mapping of a quantum state of light onto long-lived atomic spin state paving the road towards realization of the quantum memory for light. Recently we have also extended the free space light-atoms interface beyond the continuous variables in the proposal, where a coherent superposition "cat" state of an atomic ensemble is generated by a measurement sequence. Progress with other communication protocols such as atomic state teleportation and multiparty networks will be presented.
Abstract. Loss and noise quickly destroy quantum entanglement. Nevertheless, recent work has shown that a quadrature-entangled light source can reap a substantial performance advantage over all classical-state sources of the same average transmitter power in scenarios whose loss and noise makes them entanglement breaking [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6], standoff target-detection being an example. In this paper, we make a first step in extending this quantum illumination paradigm to the optical imaging domain, viz., to obtain better spatial resolution for standoff optical sensing. Our canonical imaging scenario—restricted, for simplicity, to one transverse dimension—is taken to be that of resolving one versus two closely-spaced in-phase specular point targets. We show that an entangled-state transmitter, which uses continuous-wave-pumped spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC), achieves an error-probability exponent that exceeds that of all classical-state transmitters of the same average power. Using these error-exponent results, we find the ultimate spatial-resolution limits for coherent-state and SPDC imaging systems that use their respective quantum-optimal receivers, thus quantifying the latter’s spatial-resolution advantage over the former. We also propose a structured optical receiver that is ideally capable of harnessing 3 dB (of the full 6 dB) gain in the error-probability exponent achievable by the SPDC transmitter and its quantum-optimal receiver.
Quantum radar systems leverage entangled photon pairs to detect and identify targets in noisy or cluttered environments with sensitivity beyond classical limits. By transmitting one photon of an entangled pair toward a distant object while retaining its partner locally, the system exploits quantum correlations to improve signal discrimination, reduce noise susceptibility, and enhance detection probability. This paper outlines the physical principles, operational architecture, and performance advantages of entanglement‑based illumination, providing a clear foundation for future quantum‑enhanced sensing technologies.(If you want it shorter, longer, or more formal, tap: shorter paragraph, longer paragraph, more formal)
The integration of quantum-enabled technology into remote sensing revolutionizes sensitivity and accuracy, enabling the detection of subtle environmental changes, biochemical markers, hazardous materials, and other critical targets beyond the reach of traditional sensors. We have developed advanced remote sensing methodologies by integrating linearly chirped pulses into Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (C-CARS) [1-4] and Fractional Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (CFSTIRAP) [5], thereby enhancing their performance. This integration facilitates the generation of highly directional, backward-propagating signals, significantly amplifies signal intensity, and reduces noise by optimizing coherence within the target species, which ensures superior detection accuracy. The proposed methodologies open new possibilities for precise and reliable sensing in complex and challenging environments, paving the way for groundbreaking applications in high-resolution climate monitoring, secure long-range communication, and precise material analysis over vast distances [6]. The work is partially supported the Office of Naval Research through award N00014-22-1-2374. [1] J. Chathanathil, S. A. Malinovskaya, Chirped pulse control of Raman coherence in atoms and molecules. Adv. Quant. Chem. 89, 225-289 (2024). [2] J. Chathanathil, D. Budker, S. A. Malinovskaya, Quantum control via chirped coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy, Quantum Sci. Tech. 8, 045005 (2023). [3] J. Chathanathil, G. Lui, S. A. Malinovskaya, A semi-classical control theory of Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) maximizing vibrational coherence for remote detection, Phys. Rev. A 104, 043701 (2021). [4] N. Pandya, G. Lui, F. A. Narducci, J. Chathanathil, S. A. Malinovskaya, Creation of the maximum coherence via adiabatic passage in the four-wave mixing process of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, Chem. Phys. Lett., 738, 136763 (2020). [5] J. Chathanathil, A. Ramaswamy, V. S. Malinovsky, D. Budker, S. A. Malinovskaya, Chirped fractional stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, Phys. Rev. A 108, 043710 (2023). [6] G. Liu, F. A. Narducci, S. A. Malinovskaya, Limits to remote molecular detection via coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy using a maximal coherence control technique, J. Mod. Opt. 67, 21-25 (2020).
We propose a protocol for quantum illumination: a quantum-enhanced noise radar. A two-mode squeezed state, which exhibits continuous-variable entanglement between so-called signal and idler beams, is used as input to the radar system. Compared to existing proposals for quantum illumination, our protocol does not require joint measurement of the signal and idler beams. This greatly enhances the practicality of the system by, for instance, eliminating the need for a quantum memory to store the idler. We perform a proof-of-principle experiment in the microwave regime, directly comparing the performance of a two-mode squeezed source to an ideal classical noise source that saturates the classical bound for correlation. We find that, even in the presence of significant added noise and loss, the quantum source outperforms the classical source by as much as an order of magnitude.