The quantum limit to incoherent imaging is achieved by linear interferometry

Cosmo Lupo, Zixin Huang, Pieter Kok
Abstract:
We address the problem of estimating the three-dimensional positions of NS weak incoherent point-like emitters in an arbitrary spatial configuration. We show that a structured measurement strategy in which a passive linear interferometer feeds into an array of photo-detectors is always optimal for this estimation problem, in the sense that it saturates the quantum Cramér-Rao bound. This work provides insights into the phenomenon of super-resolution through incoherent imaging that has attracted much attention recently. Our results may find applications over a broad spectrum of frequencies, from fluorescence microscopy to stellar interferometry.
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IMEKO-TC4-2020-45.pdf
DOI:
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