Fundamental Limits of Classical and Quantum Imaging

Abstract

Quantum imaging promises increased imaging performance over classical protocols. However, there are a number of aspects of quantum imaging that are not well understood. In particular, it has so far been unknown how to compare classical and quantum imaging procedures. Here, we consider classical and quantum imaging in a single theoretical framework and present general fundamental limits on the resolution and the deposition rate for classical and quantum imaging. The resolution can be estimated from the image itself. We present a utility function that allows us to compare imaging protocols in a wide range of applications.

4 pages, 3 figures; accepted for Physical Review Letters, with updated title and fixed typos

References in corpus (3)

• General optimality of the Heisenberg limit for quantum metrology
• On the Relationship between Resolution Enhancement and Multiphoton Absorption Rate in Quantum Lithography
• Fundamental Quantum Limit to Multiphoton Absorption Rate for Monochromatic Light

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Distributed quantum phase estimation with entangled photons
• Beating Abbe diffraction limit in confocal microscopy via non-classical photon statistics
• Quantum imaging with sub-Poissonian light: challenges and perspectives in optical metrology
• Bounds on Quantum Multiple-Parameter Estimation with Gaussian State
• On superresolution imaging as a multiparameter estimation problem
• Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Entanglement of Narrowband Photons from Cold Atoms
• Subwavelength quantum imaging with noisy detectors