Weak convexity of Fisher information matrix and superresolved localization of blinking sources of light

TL;DR

This paper links superresolution microscopy with quantum metrology, demonstrating that blinking enhances localization precision through the convexity properties of Fisher information, rooted in the quantum state of light.

Contribution

It establishes the weak convexity of the Fisher information matrix and connects blinking-based superresolution to quantum Fisher information properties.

Findings

Proves weak matrix convexity of Fisher information.

Shows quantum Fisher information's role in resolution enhancement.

Links blinking advantage to fundamental quantum properties.

Abstract

A group of techniques known by the general name of single-molecule localization microscopy reaches a nanometer-scale spatial resolution of point light emitters, well below the diffraction limit of the traditional microscopy. The key feature of these techniques is blinking, alternation of bright and dark states, of each emitter so that no more than one emitter is bright within the width of the point-spread function of the microscope during a time sufficient for its localization. We give a formulation of the optical part of these techniques in terms of quantum metrology, where the limit of precision is determined by the Fisher information on the emitters positions contained in the measurement data. We show that the advantage in resolution provided by making the emitters blink is a consequence of the fundamental property of Fisher information, its convexity. In particular, we prove the weak matrix convexity and the trace convexity of the Fisher information matrix -- two fundamental results in the multiparameter estimation theory. We show also that the advantage in information is inherent to the quantum state of light itself before the measurement and is related to the convexity of the quantum Fisher information matrix.