All-optical deconvolution via quantum cross-correlation spectroscopy with bright twin beams

Abstract

The resolution of spectroscopic measurements is fundamentally limited by the convolution between a system's intrinsic response and the instrument response function, creating an ill-posed inverse problem. While entangled photons can theoretically bypass these limits, low photon flux has hindered their experimental realization. Here, we propose quantum cross-correlation spectroscopy (QCCS), utilizing macroscopic twin beams (signal and idler beams) to physically circumvent this convolution limit in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering. Employing the signal beam as a broadband probe, QCCS achieves all-optical deconvolution through a correlation-enhanced sum-frequency generation channel between the convoluted anti-Stokes and idler beams. By subtracting the uncorrelated background using a 500-femtosecond temporal window, we successfully retrieve narrow Raman bands (8 cm^{-1} and 15 cm^{-1}) completely obscured by a 75 cm^{-1} probe bandwidth without numerical deconvolution or prior knowledge. Our results establish macroscopic quantum correlations as a robust resource for high-fidelity spectroscopy, paving the way for ultrashort-pulse-free operando studies under natural, incoherent excitation conditions.