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arXiv · 1809.02195

On Nonlinear Amplification: Improved Quantum Limits for Photon Counting

Tzula B. Propp·S. J. van Enk
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Abstract

We show that detection of single photons is not subject to the fundamental limitations that accompany quantum linear amplification of bosonic mode amplitudes, even though a photodetector does amplify a few-photon input signal to a macroscopic output signal. Alternative limits are derived for \emph{nonlinear} photon-number amplification schemes with optimistic implications for single-photon detection. Four commutator-preserving transformations are presented: one idealized (which is optimal) and three more realistic (less than optimal). Our description makes clear that nonlinear amplification takes place, in general, at a different frequency $\omega'$ than the frequency $\omega$ of the input photons. This can be exploited to suppress thermal noise even further up to a fundamental limit imposed by amplification into a single bosonic mode. A practical example that fits our description very well is electron-shelving.

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Tzula B. Propp, S. J. van Enk. 2018-09-06. On Nonlinear Amplification: Improved Quantum Limits for Photon Counting. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.27.023454

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