Quantum ranging with Gaussian entanglement

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum ranging protocol using Gaussian entanglement that transforms target detection into a multiary hypothesis testing problem, achieving a 6-dB advantage over classical methods and enabling quantum radar applications.

Contribution

It proposes a novel quantum ranging protocol that extends quantum illumination to multiary hypothesis testing, demonstrating a significant quantum advantage in radar detection.

Findings

Achieves a 6-dB error exponent advantage over classical schemes.

Transforms quantum illumination into multiary hypothesis testing.

Enables quantum-enhanced radar and communication protocols.

Abstract

It is well known that entanglement can benefit quantum information processing tasks. Quantum illumination, when first proposed, is surprising as entanglement's benefit survives entanglement-breaking noise. Since then, many efforts have been devoted to study quantum sensing in noisy scenarios. The applicability of such schemes, however, is limited to a binary quantum hypothesis testing scenario. In terms of target detection, such schemes interrogate a single polarization-azimuth-elevation-range-Doppler resolution bin at a time, limiting the impact to radar detection. We resolve this binary-hypothesis limitation by proposing a quantum ranging protocol enhanced by entanglement. By formulating a ranging task as a multiary hypothesis testing problem, we show that entanglement enables a 6-dB advantage in the error exponent against the optimal classical scheme. Moreover, the proposed ranging protocol can also be utilized to implement a pulse-position modulated entanglement-assisted communication protocol. Our ranging protocol reveals entanglement's potential in general quantum hypothesis testing tasks and paves the way towards a quantum-ranging radar with a provable quantum advantage.