Multiphoton Hong-Ou-Mandel Interference Enables Superresolution of Bright Thermal Sources
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| author | Khan, Aiman Triggiani, Danilo Tamma, Vincenzo |
| author_facet | Khan, Aiman Triggiani, Danilo Tamma, Vincenzo |
| contents | We present a quantum optical scheme for imaging transversely displaced thermal sources of arbitrary intensities by employing multiphoton interference with a reference single-photon Fock state at a beamsplitter. Obtaining an analytical form for transverse momenta-resolved $L$-photon probabilities in either output, we show via Fisher information analysis that separation estimators built using interference sampling of multiphoton events exhibit significantly enhanced precision vis-à-vis existing imaging schemes over a wide range of separations and brightness. Even-photon-number coincidences exhibit constant precision in the sub-Rayleigh regime, demonstrating quantum superresolution of our scheme beyond the diffraction limit. For sources emitting on average $N_s\sim1$ photon per frame (such as in IR emission of thermal sources), precision bounds for our scheme scale linearly in $N_s$, exemplifying an enhanced precision of estimators in relation to weak sources $N_s\ll1$, and matching the ultimate quantum scaling. Finally, transverse momenta resolution in the Fourier plane produces finite imaging precisions for intermediate and large source separations using coarse pixel sizes of order $δy\sim100\,μ\mathrm{m}$ for exemplary image spot sizes $σ_x \sim 0.1\, μ\mathrm{m}$, in contrast with existing schemes of diffraction-limited direct imaging and superresolved inversion interferometric imaging that are severely degraded by coarse pixel sizes and have limited use. Combining the relatively straightforward sensing operation of Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometers with multiphoton coincidence detection of arbitrarily bright thermal sources and inner variable resolution of transverse photonic momenta, our scheme offers a robust alternative to non-invasive single-particle tracking and imaging of bright sources in nanoscopic chemical and biological systems. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_19772 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Multiphoton Hong-Ou-Mandel Interference Enables Superresolution of Bright Thermal Sources Khan, Aiman Triggiani, Danilo Tamma, Vincenzo Quantum Physics We present a quantum optical scheme for imaging transversely displaced thermal sources of arbitrary intensities by employing multiphoton interference with a reference single-photon Fock state at a beamsplitter. Obtaining an analytical form for transverse momenta-resolved $L$-photon probabilities in either output, we show via Fisher information analysis that separation estimators built using interference sampling of multiphoton events exhibit significantly enhanced precision vis-à-vis existing imaging schemes over a wide range of separations and brightness. Even-photon-number coincidences exhibit constant precision in the sub-Rayleigh regime, demonstrating quantum superresolution of our scheme beyond the diffraction limit. For sources emitting on average $N_s\sim1$ photon per frame (such as in IR emission of thermal sources), precision bounds for our scheme scale linearly in $N_s$, exemplifying an enhanced precision of estimators in relation to weak sources $N_s\ll1$, and matching the ultimate quantum scaling. Finally, transverse momenta resolution in the Fourier plane produces finite imaging precisions for intermediate and large source separations using coarse pixel sizes of order $δy\sim100\,μ\mathrm{m}$ for exemplary image spot sizes $σ_x \sim 0.1\, μ\mathrm{m}$, in contrast with existing schemes of diffraction-limited direct imaging and superresolved inversion interferometric imaging that are severely degraded by coarse pixel sizes and have limited use. Combining the relatively straightforward sensing operation of Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometers with multiphoton coincidence detection of arbitrarily bright thermal sources and inner variable resolution of transverse photonic momenta, our scheme offers a robust alternative to non-invasive single-particle tracking and imaging of bright sources in nanoscopic chemical and biological systems. |
| title | Multiphoton Hong-Ou-Mandel Interference Enables Superresolution of Bright Thermal Sources |
| topic | Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.19772 |