Noise-Tolerant Object Detection and Ranging Using Quantum Correlations

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that combining time and polarization correlations in quantum photon pairs enhances object detection and ranging in noisy environments by improving noise rejection and overcoming detector saturation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using polarization correlations alongside time correlations in quantum illumination for better noise resilience in optical sensing.

Findings

Enhanced signal-to-noise ratio with combined correlations

Polarization correlations improve noise rejection

Overcomes detector saturation in high background conditions

Abstract

Imaging, detection and ranging of objects in the presence of significant background noise is a fundamental challenge in optical sensing. Overcoming the limitations imposed in conventional methods, quantum light sources show higher resistance against noise in a time-correlation-based quantum illumination. Here, we introduce the advantage of using not only time correlations but also polarization correlations in photon pairs in the detection of an object that is embedded in a noisy background. In this direction, a time- and polarization-correlated photon pair source using the spontaneous parametric down-conversion process is exploited. We found that the joint measurement of correlated pairs allows distinguishing the signal from the noise photons and that leads to an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Our comparative study revealed that using polarization correlations in addition to time correlations provides improved noise rejection. Furthermore, we show that polarization correlation allows undoing the detector limitation where high background often leads to detector saturation.