Cross-correlation scheme for quantum optical coherence tomography based on Michelson interferometer

TL;DR

This paper introduces a cross-correlation Michelson interferometer scheme for quantum optical coherence tomography, enhancing practicality by reducing parasitic effects and phase noise, and enabling better dispersion cancellation and resolution.

Contribution

It proposes a novel cross-correlation scheme in MI-based QOCT that overcomes parasitic and phase noise issues, advancing the technique's practical applicability.

Findings

Reduces parasitic terms in QOCT

Improves phase noise robustness

Enhances resolution and dispersion cancellation

Abstract

Quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT) offers a simple way to cancel dispersion broadening in a sample while also providing twice the resolution compared to classical OCT. However, to achieve these advantages, a bright and broadband source of entangled photon pairs is required. A simple implementation uses collinear spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a Michelson interferometer (MI), yet this autocorrelation scheme suffers from parasitic terms and sensitivity to phase noise. Here, we introduce a cross-correlation MI-based QOCT that overcomes these drawbacks, significantly advancing QOCT toward practical applications.