Exploring the Nanometer Realm with Efficient Quantum Sensing

To realize efficient optical quantum information processing and sensing, it is critical to leverage optimized quantum states and technologies. Such components can significantly improve the effectiveness of quantum science by minimizing the amount of resources consumed, whether photonic, temporal, or infrastructural. To illustrate this point, I will draw on my Ph.D. work on entanglement-enhanced quantum interferometry. In sensing, the resilience of quantum two-photon interference against optical loss and background can make it superior to classical methods. However, achieving fast, high-resolution measurements with this technique is a challenge, particularly at the nanometer scale. I will show how extreme energy entanglement allowed us to overcome the time-resolution tradeoff and demonstrate efficient nanometer-scale sensing with a true quantum advantage. Optimized for fast, high-resolution measurements, our energy-entangled states have also allowed us to probe dynamic systems, such as acoustic vibrations. Our results highlight how strategic optimization has enabled an efficient quantum sensing modality and reveal exciting new opportunities for robust, low-light measurements, ranging from examining photosensitive samples to detecting distant vibrations.