Quantum Optics INRiM

The quantum optics research sector of INRiM is working for 25 years on the study of the properties of quantum optical states and their application to quantum technologies, such as quantum communication and, in particular, quantum metrology-imaging & sensing as well as the creation of metrology for quantum technologies, fields whose birth it substantially contributed to. The group also addresses the study of foundations of quantum mechanics, in particular quantum measurement.

The most relevant recent scientific achievements have been:

Quantum imaging, metrology & sensing: as the first experimental realisation of sub shot-noise quantum imaging and quantum illumination, calibration of single photon-detectors with Klyshko method toward metrological level, calibration of analog photo-detectors. First demonstration of quantum enhanced correlation interferometry. First realisation of quantum reading and quantum conformance protocols.

Metrology for quantum communication standardisation of QKD devices (in ETSI group and comparisons of calibration capabilities of single photon detectors/emitters for QKD with main EU NMI), channel effects on QKD protocols, specific QKD protocols as QKD based on orthogonal states and counterfactual QKD, specific protocols for high distance transmission…

Foundations of quantum measurement, both theoretical and experimental. New paradigms of quantum measurement, as weak values and their application (first realisation of sequential weak measurements), first realisation of protective measurements. First test of Bell Inequalities with non-maximally entangled states, tests of specific models, tests of quantumness, visualization of exotic quantum phenomena in quantum optics experiments, time and irreversibility concepts in quantum mechanics…

Quantum Resources: the study of entanglement properties of photons produced in PDC, among which: identification of different Bell states in PDC bandwidth, experimental study of entanglement measures (Fedorov’s parameter, optical measures, …), engineering of biphoton correlation function. The experimental study of measurements of entanglement of PDC biphotons (optimal measurements, …). The reconstruction of photon statistics and full density matrix with on/off detectors. Optimal tomography, ancilla assisted detector tomography.

Color centers in diamond: characterization of novel color centers in diamond based on several impurities (He, Sn, Pb, F, …), super-resolved single-photon sensitive confocal microscopy, characterization of single-photon emitters (radiometric parameters, nonclassicality), advanced NV-based quantum sensing techniques for high sensitivity magnetometry and thermometry (devising a new EM-noise-insensitive method) with particular focus on biological (neuron) measurements. Activity in collaboration with UNITO.