After Bell resolved the famous argument between A. Einstein and Copenhagen school about quantum entanglement, possible applications of quantum mechanics to information technology have become materialized. Starting from a brief mathematical treatment of quantum entanglement, the principles of quantum imaging and quantum holography will be presented for better quality over the limitation of traditional engineering technology, with state-of-the-art literature review regarding this major advance of imaging technology that may greatly advance in medical imaging and the AR/VR technology in metaverse that is a primary new application of 6G communications.
After Bell resolved the famous argument between A. Einstein and Copenhagen school about quantum entanglement, possible applications of quantum mechanics to information technology have become materialized. Starting from a brief mathematical treatment of quantum entanglement, the principles of quantum imaging and quantum holography will be presented for better quality over the limitation of traditional engineering technology, with state-of-the-art literature review regarding this major advance of imaging technology that may greatly advance in medical imaging and the AR/VR technology in metaverse that is a primary new application of 6G communications.
Quantum imaging is an emerging field based on quantum mechanics and imaging technology, capable of unique capabilities in resolution, sensitivity, and information processing. An extensive review of the concepts, methods, and uses of quantum imaging is given in this chapter. The main ideas of quantum mechanics that are relevant to imaging, including superposition, entanglement, and quantum measurement, are introduced in this chapter. Following this, the various quantum imaging techniques, including quantum entanglement imaging, ghost imaging, and quantum lithography, illuminating their operational mechanisms and advantages over classical methods, are explored. The role of advanced photonic systems, single-photon detectors, and quantum dots in enhancing image quality are discussed. Additionally, the incorporation of quantum computing and machine learning with quantum imaging is examined, highlighting how these interdisciplinary approaches are pushing the boundaries of what can be visualized and analysed. Quantum imaging applications are varied, groundbreaking, and innovative, ranging from medical diagnostics and biological imaging to quantum communication and fundamental physics research. By harnessing the exclusive properties of quantum states, these applications achieve higher precision and new capabilities that classical imaging techniques cannot match. The challenges and future directions of quantum imaging, considering both the technical hurdles and the potential for groundbreaking discoveries, are discussed as well. In a nutshell, the chapter aims to offer the readers an in-depth insight into quantum imaging, its current state, and its future prospects by providing a holistic view of how quantum imaging is composed to revolutionize various scientific and technological fields.
This study investigates quantum holography, emphasizing its capability to conduct holographic imaging without the requirement for first-order coherence—a limitation of classical physics. By harnessing quantum entanglement, where image data is embedded in the phase correlation of polarization-entangled photon pairs and spread across the transverse spatial dimension, quantum holography enhances imaging performance. This technique not only improves resolution for polarization-sensitive phase objects but also provides resilience against stochastic phase fluctuations and uncontrolled ambient light, offering significant tangible benefits compared to conventional holography. Additionally, its integration with quantum tomography enables precise analysis of multi-dimensional hyper-entangled states, advancing quantum state analysis. Although current challenges remain, such as extended acquisition times due to technological constraints, ongoing advancements in faster, more affordable sensors are expected to address these issues. As a result, quantum holography is poised to have broad applications in biological imaging, sensing, and the exploration of complex high-dimensional quantum states. These developments position quantum holography as a crucial technology in the future of quantum optical communication and information processing, driving innovation and opening new avenues in these fields.
Entanglement is a quintessential quantum mechanical phenomenon with no classical equivalent. First discussed by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen and formally introduced by Schrödinger in 1935, entanglement has grown from a scientific debate to a radically new resource that sparks a technological revolution. This review focuses on fundamentals and recent advances in entanglement-based quantum information technology (QIT), specifically in photonic systems. Photons are unique quantum information carriers with several advantages, such as their ability to operate at room temperature, their compatibility with existing communication and sensing infrastructures, and the availability of readily accessible optical components. Photons also interface well with other solid-state quantum platforms. We first provide an overview on entanglement, starting with an introduction to its development from a historical perspective followed by the theory for entanglement generation and the associated representative experiments. We then dive into the applications of entanglement-based QIT for sensing, imaging, spectroscopy, data processing, and communication. Before closing, we present an outlook for the architecture of the next-generation entanglement-based QIT and its prospective applications.
Quantum mechanics, once regarded as a purely theoretical framework for understanding microscopic phenomena, has evolved into a cornerstone of modern technological innovation. Its principles now underpin a wide range of practical applications that have transformed science, engineering, medicine, and information technology. This review paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the modern applications of quantum mechanics, emphasizing how foundational quantum concepts such as superposition, entanglement, tunneling, and quantization enable real-world technologies. The paper surveys key application domains including quantum computing, quantum communication and cryptography, semiconductor and nanoelectronics, quantum sensing and metrology, medical imaging, and emerging quantum materials. A systematic literature review of 25 scholarly sources is conducted to highlight technological progress, experimental achievements, and current limitations. A comparative table contrasts classical and quantum-enabled technologies to illustrate performance advantages and conceptual differences. The discussion explores technical challenges, scalability issues, ethical considerations, and future research directions. The paper concludes by emphasizing the critical role of quantum mechanics in shaping next-generation technologies and the necessity of continued interdisciplinary research.
One of the most surprising consequences of quantum mechanics is the entanglement of two or more distant particles. Although questions regarding fundamental issues of quantum theory still exist, quantum entanglement has started to play important roles in practical engineering applications. Quantum imaging is one of these exciting areas. Quantum imaging has demonstrated two peculiar features: (1) reproducing ghost images in a nonlocal manner, and (2) enhancing the spatial resolution of imaging beyond the diffraction limit. In this article, we start with the review of classical imaging to establish the basic concepts and formalisms of imaging. We then analyze two-photon imaging with particular emphasis on the physics of spatial resolution enhancement and the ghost imaging phenomenon.
One of the most surprising consequences of quantum mechanics is the entanglement of two or more distant particles. Although questions regarding fundamental issues of quantum theory still exist, quantum entanglement has started to play important roles in practical engineering applications. Quantum imaging is one of these exciting areas. Quantum imaging has demonstrated two peculiar features: 1) reproducing ghost images in a nonlocal manner and 2) enhancing the spatial resolution of imaging beyond the diffraction limit. In this paper, we start with the review of classical imaging to establish the basic concepts and formalisms of imaging. We then analyze two-photon imaging with particular emphasis on the physics of spatial resolution enhancement and the ghost imaging phenomenon.