Entangled-photon interferometry for plasmas

TL;DR

This paper proposes using entangled-photon interferometry to measure plasma properties with high sensitivity, leveraging quantum effects to detect small signals and predict plasma-induced shifts in quantum optical phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of quantum interferometry with entangled photons for plasma diagnostics, including theoretical predictions of plasma-induced quantum optical effects.

Findings

Quantum interferometry can probe small plasma signals with high sensitivity.

Plasmas can induce measurable shifts in quantum optical phenomena like Gaussian dips.

Scaling of measurement sensitivity with photon number enhances detection capabilities.

Abstract

Sub-picosecond coincidence timing from nonlocal intensity interference of entangled photons allows quantum interferometry for plasmas. Using a warm plasma dispersion relation, we correlate phase measurement sensitivity with different plasma properties or physics mechanisms over 6 orders of magnitude. Due to $N^\alpha$ ($\alpha \leq -1/2$) scaling with the photon number $N$, quantum interferometry using entangled light can probe small signals in plasmas not previously accessible. As an example, it is predicted that plasmas will induce shifts to a Gaussian dip, a well-known quantum optics phenomenon that is yet to be demonstrated for plasmas.