Overcoming inefficient detection in sub-shot-noise absorption measurement and imaging

TL;DR

This paper proposes a phase-sensitive amplification scheme that enables sub-shot-noise absorption measurement and imaging with high detection loss tolerance, overcoming limitations in difficult spectral ranges.

Contribution

Introduction of a novel experimental scheme using phase-sensitive amplification to achieve loss-tolerant sub-shot-noise imaging and sensing.

Findings

The scheme allows sub-shot-noise imaging despite detection inefficiencies.

It extends the applicability of quantum-enhanced measurements to challenging spectral regions.

The approach mitigates the impact of detection losses on measurement accuracy.

Abstract

Photon-number squeezing and correlations enable measurement of absorption with an accuracy exceeding that of the shot-noise limit. However, sub-shot noise imaging and sensing based on these methods require high detection efficiency, which can be a serious obstacle if measurements are carried out in "difficult" spectral ranges. We show that this problem can be overcome through the phase-sensitive amplification before detection. Here we propose an experimental scheme of sub-shot-noise imaging with tolerance to detection losses.