The quantum limit to incoherent imaging is achieved by linear interferometry
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.
Event details
- Event
- tc4-2020