Quantum-Enhanced continuous-wave stimulated Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

Stimulated Raman spectroscopy has become a powerful tool to study the spatiodynamics of molecular bonds with high sensitivity, resolution and speed. However, sensitivity and speed of state-of-the-art stimulated Raman spectroscopy are currently limited by the shot-noise of the light beam probing the Raman process. Here, we demonstrate an enhancement of the sensitivity of continuous-wave stimulated Raman spectroscopy by reducing the quantum noise of the probing light below the shot-noise limit by means of amplitude squeezed states of light. Probing polymer samples with Raman shifts around 2950 $c{m}^{-1}$ with squeezed states, we demonstrate a quantum-enhancement of the stimulated Raman signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 3.60 dB relative to the shot-noise limited SNR. Our proof-of-concept demonstration of quantum-enhanced Raman spectroscopy paves the way for a new generation of Raman microscopes, where weak Raman transitions can be imaged without the use of markers or an increase in the total optical power.

6 pages, 6 figures