"Quantum-optical coherence tomography" with classical light

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that classical light in chirped-pulse interferometry can replicate the advantages of quantum-optical coherence tomography, including dispersion cancellation and artifact reduction, with significantly higher signal levels.

Contribution

It introduces a classical correlation-based method that achieves Q-OCT benefits without quantum resources, improving signal strength and artifact suppression.

Findings

Achieved 10 million times higher signal than quantum methods

Successfully demonstrated automatic dispersion cancellation

Resolved artifact issues present in quantum OCT

Abstract

Quantum-optical coherence tomography (Q-OCT) is an interferometric technique for axial imaging offering several advantages over conventional methods. Chirped-pulse interferometry (CPI) was recently demonstrated to exhibit all of the benefits of the quantum interferometer upon which Q-OCT is based. Here we use CPI to measure axial interferograms to profile a sample accruing the important benefits of Q-OCT, including automatic dispersion cancellation, but with 10 million times higher signal. Our technique solves the artifact problem in Q-OCT and highlights the power of classical correlation in optical imaging.