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arXiv · 1408.0257

Efficiencies of Quantum Optical Detectors

Daniel Hogg·Dominic W. Berry·A. I. Lvovsky
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Abstract

We propose a definition for the efficiency that can be universally applied to all classes of quantum optical detectors. This definition is based on the maximum amount of optical loss that a physically plausible device can experience while still replicating the properties of a given detector. We prove that detector efficiency cannot be increased using linear optical processing. That is, given a set of detectors, as well as arbitrary linear optical elements and ancillary light sources, it is impossible to construct detection devices that would exhibit higher efficiencies than the initial set.

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Daniel Hogg, Dominic W. Berry, A. I. Lvovsky. 2014-12-15. Efficiencies of Quantum Optical Detectors. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.90.053846

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