Multimode Continuous-Variable Quantum Optics for Precision Sensing

用于精密传感的多模连续可变量子光学器件

• 批准号: 2207767
• 负责人: Brian Smith
• 金额: $ 45.68万
• 依托单位: University of Oregon Eugene
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2207767&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Multimode; Continuous; Variable; Quantum; Optics

Improved precision in measurement has enabled numerous scientific and technical breakthroughs. For example, increased resolution in timing arising from the development of ultrashort laser pulses has enabled entirely new approaches to study molecular dynamics on short time scales. This project aims at developing experimental methods for the generation, manipulation and measurement of quantum-mechanical states of light and to exploit these for quantum-enhanced sensing under adverse conditions in which optical loss and background noise are present. The project goes beyond prior work by utilizing multiple optical channels, or modes, that can have strong quantum-mechanical correlations, known as entanglement, to both enhance the precision in optical interferometry, but also suppress the contributions of background noise. To diversify, educate and train the upcoming quantum workforce the project will provide a solid background and mentoring in quantum and nonlinear optics for a postdoctoral researcher, graduate student, undergraduate students, as well as related outreach activities. The project will focus on the experimental development of multimode squeezed vacuum states generated by pulsed spontaneous parametric down conversion. Two different approaches to detecting the nonclassical light will be developed – a photon-number-resolving spectrometer and photon-counting sum-frequency generation. The project will explore theoretically the fundamental limits of sensing in realistic settings, where loss, noise and other imperfections arise. Photon addition and subtraction in well-defined temporal modes will be explored as means to boost the performance of quantum sensing protocols. The project results will advance the understanding of the role entanglement in sensing and influence future quantum-enhanced sensing research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

测量精度的提高实现了许多科学和技术突破，例如，超短激光脉冲的发展带来了计时分辨率的提高，使得在短时间尺度上研究分子动力学成为可能。光的量子力学状态的生成、操纵和测量，并在存在光损耗和背景噪声的不利条件下利用它们进行量子增强传感，该项目超越了先前利用多个光通道或模式的工作。可以具有很强的量子力学相关性（称为纠缠）既可以提高光学干涉测量的精度，又可以抑制背景噪声的影响，为了使即将到来的量子劳动力多样化、教育和培训，该项目将为量子和非线性光学领域提供坚实的背景和指导。该项目将重点关注脉冲自发参量下转换产生的多模压缩真空态的实验开发，以开发两种不同的方法来检测非经典光。该项目将从理论上探索现实环境中传感的基本限制，其中会出现明确时间模式下的光子加法和减法。探索作为提高量子传感协议性能的手段，该项目的结果将增进对纠缠在传感中的作用的理解，并影响未来的量子增强传感研究。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过评估被认为值得支持。使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。