Quantum technology enhances resolution

Researchers from NUS Electrical and Computer Engineering have discovered new optical techniques that enable separation between two light sources to be measured more precisely than current approaches. These techniques could potentially improve the resolution of microscopes and telescopes by orders of magnitude. Conventional methods of imaging often experience blurring and noise due to the wave and particle nature of light. This problem particularly hinders the study of fluorescent particles in microscopy and binary stars in astronomy.

The study, conducted by Assistant Professor Tsang Man Kei and his research fellows Dr Ranjith Nair and Dr Xiao-Ming Lu, used a theory called quantum metrology. Their calculations revealed that cleverer quantum optical methods can extract the full information contained in two typical light sources about their separation, allowing it to be more accurately measured.

The work was published in Physical Review X on 29 August 2016.

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