Overcoming frequency resolution limits using a solid-state spin quantum sensor

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cao, Qingyun, Genov, Genko T., Chu, Yaoming, Cai, Jianming, Liu, Yu, Retzker, Alex, Jelezko, Fedor
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866918263674372096
author Cao, Qingyun
Genov, Genko T.
Chu, Yaoming
Cai, Jianming
Liu, Yu
Retzker, Alex
Jelezko, Fedor
author_facet Cao, Qingyun
Genov, Genko T.
Chu, Yaoming
Cai, Jianming
Liu, Yu
Retzker, Alex
Jelezko, Fedor
contents The ability to determine precisely the separation of two frequencies is fundamental to spectroscopy, yet the resolution limit poses a critical challenge: distinguishing two incoherent signals becomes impossible when their frequencies are sufficiently close. Here, we demonstrate a simple and powerful approach, dubbed {\it superresolution quantum sensing}, which experimentally resolves two nearly identical incoherent signals using a solid-state spin quantum sensor. By carefully choosing interrogation times that satisfy the superresolution condition, we eliminate quantum projection noise, overcoming the vanishing distinguishability of signals with near-identical frequencies. This leads to improved resolution, which scales as $t^{-2}$ in comparison to the standard $t^{-1}$ scaling. Together with a greatly reduced classical readout noise assisted by a nuclear spin, we are able to achieve sub-kHz resolution with a signal detection time of 80 microseconds. Our results highlight the potential of quantum sensing to overcome conventional frequency resolution limitations, with broad implications for precision measurements.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_20416
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Overcoming frequency resolution limits using a solid-state spin quantum sensor
Cao, Qingyun
Genov, Genko T.
Chu, Yaoming
Cai, Jianming
Liu, Yu
Retzker, Alex
Jelezko, Fedor
Quantum Physics
The ability to determine precisely the separation of two frequencies is fundamental to spectroscopy, yet the resolution limit poses a critical challenge: distinguishing two incoherent signals becomes impossible when their frequencies are sufficiently close. Here, we demonstrate a simple and powerful approach, dubbed {\it superresolution quantum sensing}, which experimentally resolves two nearly identical incoherent signals using a solid-state spin quantum sensor. By carefully choosing interrogation times that satisfy the superresolution condition, we eliminate quantum projection noise, overcoming the vanishing distinguishability of signals with near-identical frequencies. This leads to improved resolution, which scales as $t^{-2}$ in comparison to the standard $t^{-1}$ scaling. Together with a greatly reduced classical readout noise assisted by a nuclear spin, we are able to achieve sub-kHz resolution with a signal detection time of 80 microseconds. Our results highlight the potential of quantum sensing to overcome conventional frequency resolution limitations, with broad implications for precision measurements.
title Overcoming frequency resolution limits using a solid-state spin quantum sensor
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.20416