Quantum microscopy based on Hong-Ou-Mandel interference

Bienvenu Ndagano; Hugo Defienne; Dominic Branford; Yash D. Shah; Ashley Lyons; Niclas Westerberg; Erik M. Gauger; Daniele Faccio

doi:10.1038/s41566-022-00980-6

Quantum microscopy based on Hong-Ou-Mandel interference

Bienvenu Ndagano, Hugo Defienne, Dominic Branford, Yash D. Shah, Ashley Lyons, Niclas Westerberg, Erik M. Gauger, Daniele Faccio

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Abstract

Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) interference—the bunching of indistinguishable photons at a beamsplitter—is a staple of quantum optics and lies at the heart of many quantum sensing approaches and recent optical quantum computers. Here we report a full-field, scan-free quantum imaging technique that exploits HOM interference to reconstruct the surface depth profile of transparent samples. We demonstrate the ability to retrieve images with micrometre-scale depth features with photon flux as small as seven photon pairs per frame. Using a single-photon avalanche diode camera, we measure both bunched and anti-bunched photon-pair distributions at the output of an HOM interferometer, which are combined to provide a lower-noise image of the sample. This approach demonstrates the possibility of HOM microscopy as a tool for the label-free imaging of transparent samples in the very low photon regime.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	384-389
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature Photonics
Volume	16
Issue number	5
Early online date	11 Apr 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-022-00980-6
Publication status	Published - May 2022

Keywords

quant-ph
physics.optics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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10.1038/s41566-022-00980-6

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This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Nature Photonics. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-022-00980-6
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title = "Quantum microscopy based on Hong-Ou-Mandel interference",

abstract = "Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) interference—the bunching of indistinguishable photons at a beamsplitter—is a staple of quantum optics and lies at the heart of many quantum sensing approaches and recent optical quantum computers. Here we report a full-field, scan-free quantum imaging technique that exploits HOM interference to reconstruct the surface depth profile of transparent samples. We demonstrate the ability to retrieve images with micrometre-scale depth features with photon flux as small as seven photon pairs per frame. Using a single-photon avalanche diode camera, we measure both bunched and anti-bunched photon-pair distributions at the output of an HOM interferometer, which are combined to provide a lower-noise image of the sample. This approach demonstrates the possibility of HOM microscopy as a tool for the label-free imaging of transparent samples in the very low photon regime.",

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author = "Bienvenu Ndagano and Hugo Defienne and Dominic Branford and Shah, {Yash D.} and Ashley Lyons and Niclas Westerberg and Gauger, {Erik M.} and Daniele Faccio",

note = "Funding Information: We thank M. Cromb for fruitful discussions on the interpretation of the results. We acknowledge financial support from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grants EP/R030413/1, EP/M01326X/1 and EP/R030081/1) and from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 801060. D.F. acknowledges support from the Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies programme. H.D. acknowledges support from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sk{\l}odowska-Curie grant agreement no. 840958. N.W. acknowledges support from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",

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AU - Westerberg, Niclas

AU - Gauger, Erik M.

AU - Faccio, Daniele

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Quantum microscopy based on Hong-Ou-Mandel interference

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