Quantum illumination with multiplexed photodetection

TL;DR

This paper proposes a practical quantum illumination scheme using multiplexed photodetection with multi-click heralding, demonstrating earlier target detection under lossy conditions through sequential measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a non-simultaneous, non-optimal measurement approach with multi-click heralding for quantum illumination, showing advantages over single-click methods.

Findings

Multi-click heralding increases conditioned signal intensity.

Multi-click measurements enable earlier target detection in lossy environments.

Sequential shot measurements confirm the advantage of the proposed scheme.

Abstract

The advantages of using quantum states of light for object detection are often highlighted in schemes that use simultaneous and optimal measurements. Here, we describe a theoretical but experimentally realizable quantum illumination scheme based on non-simultaneous and non-optimal measurements which can maintain this advantage. In particular, we examine the multi-click heralded two mode squeezed vacuum state as a probe signal in a quantum illumination process. The increase in conditioned signal intensity associated with multi-click heralding is greater than that from a single detector-heralded signal. Our results show, for lossy external conditions, the presence of the target object can be revealed earlier using multi-click measurements. We demonstrate this through sequential shot measurements based on Monte-Carlo simulation.