Quantum interferometry with three-dimensional geometry

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel three-dimensional quantum interferometric scheme using multiarm waveguide devices, demonstrating potential for enhanced phase estimation and multi-parameter sensing in integrated photonics.

Contribution

It introduces a new 3D waveguide-based interferometric setup with multiport beam splitters, enabling nonclassical fringes and improved quantum phase estimation capabilities.

Findings

Nonclassical fringe patterns with high visibility

Outperformance of classical Fisher information in phase estimation

Potential for simultaneous multi-phase estimation

Abstract

Quantum interferometry uses quantum resources to improve phase estimation with respect to classical methods. Here we propose and theoretically investigate a new quantum interferometric scheme based on three-dimensional waveguide devices. These can be implemented by femtosecond laser waveguide writing, recently adopted for quantum applications. In particular, multiarm interferometers include "tritter" and "quarter" as basic elements, corresponding to the generalization of a beam splitter to a 3- and 4-port splitter, respectively. By injecting Fock states in the input ports of such interferometers, fringe patterns characterized by nonclassical visibilities are expected. This enables outperforming the quantum Fisher information obtained with classical fields in phase estimation. We also discuss the possibility of achieving the simultaneous estimation of more than one optical phase. This approach is expected to open new perspectives to quantum enhanced sensing and metrology performed in integrated photonic.