Pixel super-resolution using spatially-entangled photon pairs

TL;DR

This paper introduces a pixel super-resolution method for quantum imaging that leverages the full joint probability distribution of entangled photons to double the resolution without additional hardware, enhancing quantum imaging capabilities.

Contribution

The authors present a novel super-resolution technique based on measuring the joint probability distribution of entangled photons, improving resolution without shifting optics or prior info.

Findings

Doubles the pixel resolution in quantum imaging systems.

Retrieves spatial information lost due to undersampling.

Applicable to various quantum imaging protocols.

Abstract

Pixelation occurs in many imaging systems and limits the spatial resolution of the acquired images. This effect is notably present in quantum imaging experiments with correlated photons in which the number of pixels used to detect coincidences is often limited by the sensor technology or the acquisition speed. Here, we introduce a pixel super-resolution technique based on measuring the full spatially-resolved joint probability distribution (JPD) of spatially-entangled photons. Without shifting optical elements or using prior information, our technique increases the pixel resolution of the imaging system by a factor two and enables retrieval of spatial information lost due to undersampling. We demonstrate its use in various quantum imaging protocols using photon pairs, including quantum illumination, entanglement-enabled quantum holography, and in a full-field version of N00N-state quantum holography. The JPD pixel super-resolution technique can benefit any full-field imaging system limited by the sensor spatial resolution, including all already established and future photon-correlation-based quantum imaging schemes, bringing these techniques closer to real-world applications.