TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantum-enhanced time-domain spectroscopy
AU - Adamou, Dionysis
AU - Hirsch, Lennart
AU - Shields, Taylor
AU - Yoon, Seungjin
AU - Dada, Adetunmise C
AU - Weaver, Jonathan M R
AU - Faccio, Daniele
AU - Peccianti, Marco
AU - Caspani, Lucia
AU - Clerici, Matteo
PY - 2025/1/24
Y1 - 2025/1/24
N2 - The time-resolved detection of mid- to far-infrared electric fields absorbed and emitted by molecules is among the most sensitive spectroscopic approaches and has the potential to transform sensing in fields such as security screening, quality control, and medical diagnostics. However, the sensitivity of the standard detection approach, which relies on encoding the far-infrared electric field into amplitude modulation of a visible or near-infrared probe laser pulse, is limited by the shot noise of the latter. This constraint cannot be overcome without using a quantum resource. Here, we show that this constraint can be overcome using a two-mode squeezed state. Quantum-correlated ultrashort pulses, generated by parametric down-conversion, enhance the sensitivity of far-infrared detection beyond the classical limit, achieving a twofold reduction in measured noise. This advancement paves the way for further development of ultrafast quantum metrology, moving toward quantum-enhanced time-resolved electric field spectroscopy with sensitivities beyond the standard quantum limit.
AB - The time-resolved detection of mid- to far-infrared electric fields absorbed and emitted by molecules is among the most sensitive spectroscopic approaches and has the potential to transform sensing in fields such as security screening, quality control, and medical diagnostics. However, the sensitivity of the standard detection approach, which relies on encoding the far-infrared electric field into amplitude modulation of a visible or near-infrared probe laser pulse, is limited by the shot noise of the latter. This constraint cannot be overcome without using a quantum resource. Here, we show that this constraint can be overcome using a two-mode squeezed state. Quantum-correlated ultrashort pulses, generated by parametric down-conversion, enhance the sensitivity of far-infrared detection beyond the classical limit, achieving a twofold reduction in measured noise. This advancement paves the way for further development of ultrafast quantum metrology, moving toward quantum-enhanced time-resolved electric field spectroscopy with sensitivities beyond the standard quantum limit.
KW - infrared electric fields
KW - ultrafast quantum metrology
KW - electric field spectroscopy
UR - http://10.5525/gla.researchdata.1848
U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.adt2187
DO - 10.1126/sciadv.adt2187
M3 - Article
SN - 2375-2548
VL - 11
JO - Science Advances
JF - Science Advances
IS - 4
M1 - eadt2187
ER -