Engineers at Brown University have developed a new imaging technique called Quantum Multi-Wavelength Holography, which creates high-fidelity 3D images using quantum entangled photons. This method leverages quantum entanglement to capture both the intensity and phase of light waves, enabling precise depth measurements and overcoming limitations of conventional imaging methods.
The technique utilizes infrared light to illuminate target objects, while visible light, entangled with the infrared light probe, is used to create the images. This approach allows for the capture of both the intensity and phase of light, resulting in true holographic images that accurately represent the depth of contours in an object.
Traditional imaging techniques, such as X-rays or photographs, capture light that bounces off an object. In contrast, quantum imaging takes advantage of quantum entanglement, where two photons are entangled, and anything that happens to one photon immediately affects the state of its entangled partner, regardless of the distance between them. In this system, an "idler" photon is used to scan the target object, while a second, "signal" photon, entangled with the idler, is measured to create the image.
One of the significant advantages of this approach is the ability to use infrared light for probing an object while detecting with visible light. This enables the use of standard, inexpensive silicon detectors instead of costly infrared detectors. Additionally, the technique addresses the issue of phase wrapping, a problem in imaging systems where deeply contoured surfaces are mistaken for shallow ones due to the periodic nature of wave-based measurements. By employing two sets of entangled photons at slightly different wavelengths, the researchers effectively create a much longer synthetic wavelength, greatly enhancing depth measurement and allowing for more accurate 3D imaging.
To validate their system, the team created and successfully imaged a metallic letter "B," approximately 1.5 millimeters in diameter. This demonstration serves as a proof-of-concept for creating high-fidelity 3D images using quantum entanglement. The work was presented at the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, and the researchers received recognition for their contribution to the field of quantum imaging.