Quantum astrometry

The idea of exploring quantum features of light to perform more precise astrophysical measurements is a long-desired goal of both the optics and astrophysics communities, but only recently the theoretical proposals have started to be experimentally implemented. We are building quantum-enhanced telescopes for precision astrometry, i.e., measurements of position and velocity of celestial objects. I will present a proof-of-principle experimental demonstration of a two-photon interferometer. Additionally, I will present a single-photon-sensitive spectrometer, based on a linear array of 512 single-photon avalanche diode detectors, with 0.04nm spectral and 40ps temporal resolutions. This device enables us to implement a spectral binning technique, essentially allowing us to perform multiple measurements together, because each frequency can be treated as an independent measurement. This device is also useful for other quantum applications. Lastly, I will report on Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments. Our work represents a step towards quantum telescopes.