Microwave Quantum Radar using a Josephson Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier

TL;DR

This paper proposes a microwave quantum radar using a Josephson Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier, achieving ultrawide bandwidth for improved detection of stealth objects through quantum illumination.

Contribution

First implementation of a microwave quantum radar based on JTWPA with ultrawide bandwidth, enhancing detection capabilities in quantum illumination protocols.

Findings

JTWPA pumped at 12 GHz achieves 10 GHz bandwidth

Demonstrates potential for stealth object detection

Advances quantum radar technology with broad bandwidth

Abstract

Detection of low-reflectivity objects can be improved by the so-called quantum illumination procedure. However, quantum detection probability exponentially decays with the source bandwidth. The Josephson Parametric Amplifiers (JPAs) technology utilized as a source, generating a pair of entangled signals called two-mode squeezed vacuum states, shows a very narrow bandwidth limiting the operation of the microwave quantum radar (MQR). In this paper, for the first time, a microwave quantum radar setup based on quantum illumination protocol and using a Josephson Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier (JTWPA) is proposed. Measurement results of the developed JTWPA, pumped at 12 GHz, show an ultrawide bandwidth equal to 10 GHz at X-band making our MQR a promising candidate for the detection of stealth objects.