Superresolution imaging of two incoherent sources via two-photon interference sampling measurements in the transverse momenta

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum measurement technique using two-photon interference in transverse momenta to surpass classical resolution limits in imaging incoherent sources, enabling precise distance estimation with minimal measurements.

Contribution

It demonstrates a novel quantum sampling method that achieves ultimate precision in source separation estimation without additional optics or complex setups.

Findings

Two-photon interference yields beats from incoherent sources.

Quantum precision is achievable independently of wavepacket structure.

Low measurement counts suffice for high-accuracy distance estimation.

Abstract

The Rayleigh's criterion infamously imposes a minimum separation between two incoherent sources for them to be distinguishable via classical methods. In this work, we demonstrate the emergence of two-photon beats from the interference of a single reference photon and a photon coming from one of two transversally displaced incoherent sources. We also show that, apart from a factor of two, the ultimate quantum precision in the estimation of any value of the distance between two thermal sources is achievable independently of the wavepacket spatial structure, by performing a relatively low number of sampling measurements of the transverse momenta of the interfering photons, without the need of any additional optics. The feasibility of this technique makes it an optimal candidate to important applications in microscopy, astronomy and remote sensing