https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2003-00003-3
Ultimate quantum limits for resolution of beam displacements
1
Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde,
Glasgow G4 0NG, UK
2
Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Université Pierre et Marie
Curie, Case 74, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
Corresponding author: a maitre@spectro.jussieu.fr
Received:
12
September
2002
Published online:
21
January
2003
We compare two high sensitivity techniques which are used to measure very small displacements of physical objects by optical techniques: the interferometric devices, measuring longitudinal phase shifts, and the devices used to monitor transverse displacement of light beams. We detail the differences and the similarities for the quantum limits on the resolution of both systems. In both cases squeezed light can be used to resolve beyond the standard quantum limit and number correlated states allow us to reach the “Heisenberg” limit.
PACS: 42.50.-p – Quantum optics / 42.30.-d – Imaging and optical processing / 42.25.Hz – Interference / 42.50.Ar – Photon statistics and coherence theory / 42.50.Dv – Nonclassical field states; squeezed, antibunched, and sub-Poissonian states; operational definitions of the phase of the field; phase measurements / 42.50.Lc – Quantum fluctuations, quantum noise, and quantum jumps
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2003
