Towards Superresolution Surface Metrology: Quantum Estimation of Angular and Axial Separations

Carmine Napoli, Samanta Piano, Richard Leach, Gerardo Adesso, and Tommaso Tufarelli
Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 140505 – Published 12 April 2019
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Abstract

We investigate the localization of two incoherent point sources with arbitrary angular and axial separations in the paraxial approximation. By using quantum metrology techniques, we show that a simultaneous estimation of the two separations is achievable by a single quantum measurement, with a precision saturating the ultimate limit stemming from the quantum Cramér-Rao bound. Such a precision is not degraded in the subwavelength regime, thus overcoming the traditional limitations of classical direct imaging derived from Rayleigh’s criterion. Our results are qualitatively independent of the point spread function of the imaging system, and quantitatively illustrated in detail for the Gaussian instance. This analysis may have relevant applications in three-dimensional surface measurements.

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  • Received 23 May 2018
  • Revised 21 January 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.140505

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Quantum Information, Science & Technology

Authors & Affiliations

Carmine Napoli1,2,*, Samanta Piano2,†, Richard Leach2,‡, Gerardo Adesso1,§, and Tommaso Tufarelli1,∥

  • 1School of Mathematical Sciences and Centre for the Mathematics and Theoretical Physics of Quantum Non-Equilibrium Systems, University of Nottingham, University Park Campus, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
  • 2Manufacturing Metrology Team, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham NG8 1BB, United Kingdom

  • *carmine.napoli@nottingham.ac.uk
  • samanta.piano@nottingham.ac.uk
  • richard.leach@nottingham.ac.uk
  • §gerardo.adesso@nottingham.ac.uk
  • tommaso.tufarelli@nottingham.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 122, Iss. 14 — 12 April 2019

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