Interferometric detection of optical phase shifts at the Heisenberg limit
Abstract
We show that the uncertainty in the relative quantum phase of two fields propagating in the arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer can be reduced to the Heisenberg limit by driving the interferometer with two Fock states containing equal numbers of photons. This leads to a minimum detectable phase shift far below that of any interferometer driven by a coherent light source.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- August 1993
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1993PhRvL..71.1355H
- Keywords:
-
- Heisenberg Theory;
- Mach-Zehnder Interferometers;
- Phase Shift;
- Photons;
- Quantum Theory;
- Beam Splitters;
- Light Transmission;
- Optical Paths;
- Sensitivity;
- 42.50.Lc;
- 04.80.+z;
- 07.60.Ly;
- 42.50.Dv;
- Optics;
- Quantum fluctuations quantum noise and quantum jumps;
- Interferometers;
- Nonclassical states of the electromagnetic field including entangled photon states;
- quantum state engineering and measurements