Quantum light spectroscopy of complex quantum systems

Lead Research Organisation: University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics

Abstract

Spectroscopy reveals properties of complex systems such as its structure and dynamics - physical, molecular, electronic which are typically inaccessible directly due to their atomic or molecular size and ultrafast (femtosecond) timescales. It works by shining light on a sample and measuring the light after the light-matter interaction. Most spectroscopy techniques use light pulses produced by a laser in a classical state called the 'coherent' state. Recently, non-classical or quantum states of light have provided greater precision is estimating unknown parameters in areas such as imaging and interferometry. The premier example of the latter are laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors. In addition to coherent states from lasers, these detectors use 'squeezed' states to improve their performance.

Nonlinear ultrafast spectroscopy, the state-of-the-art tool used to study dynamics in complex quantum systems has provided rich insights. However, any insight is routinely realised via comparison to theoretical results, which must incorporate both the elaborate theoretical models needed to calculate the spectra in addition to particulars of the materials and processes being studied. Furthermore, the information of interest is often obscured by spectral broadening such that interpretation of the spectra is sometimes described as "blobology".

While proposals have been made towards overcoming some of these limitations by performing spectroscopy with quantum light, the known methods remain distant experimentally. One challenge is the low light intensity typical in nonlinear spectroscopy with quantum light. Another challenge is that quantum light spectroscopy proposals often rely on the principle of improving existing classical light techniques by replacing one or more classical pulses by quantum light to reveal certain features of interest, rendering them increasingly baroque in practice.

My idea is to start from the opposite end. I will seek the most precise and optimal spectroscopic method - in terms of the quantum state of the input light, the interaction between the light and sample, and the detection of the light - allowed by the laws of quantum mechanics for investigating complex quantum systems. To that end I will introduce new concepts from quantum and classical estimation theory, and statistics into nonlinear spectroscopy, quantum optics, and open quantum systems.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description We have discovered the fundamental limits of atomic spectroscopy with quantum light.
Exploitation Route Our theoretical work can be used by experimentalists to develop novel methods of spectroscopy.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Chemicals

Healthcare

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.02204
 
Description MID-INFRARED QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY FOR SENSING
Amount € 2,662,604 (EUR)
Funding ID 101070700 
Organisation European Commission 
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 09/2022 
End 09/2025
 
Description Aiman Khan contributed talk, APS March meeting 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact The American Physical Society March Meeting, March 5-10, 2023, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.aps.org/meetings/meeting.cfm?name=MAR23
 
Description Aiman Khan invited talk, Dresden 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact International Workshop on Atomic Physics
27 November - 1 December 2023
with focus days on
"Research Highlights in the Eyes of Editors"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.pks.mpg.de/atom23
 
Description Animesh Datta invited to IISER Kolkata (online) 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Online talk at international conference.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAdbt6rYK0c
 
Description Animesh Datta invited to KITP, Santa Barbara 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Presentation at KITP, Santa Barbara, USA. Overview of research field led to subsequent discussions.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/qmetro23/datta/
 
Description Animesh Datta invited to NSF/UKRI workshop 2024 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact NSF/UKRI Bilateral Workshop on Quantum Information Science in Chemistry, Alexandria, VA, USA.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Animesh Datta invited to Turin, 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Invited talk at conference.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL http://www.quantum2023.unito.it
 
Description Animesh Datta invited to UCL Quantum CDT 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Lecture to CDT students at UCL.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Elnaz Darsheshdar Contributed talk, Bristol 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Bristol Quantum Information Technologies Conference.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/qet-labs/documents/bqit/BQIT23%20full%20programme.pdf
 
Description Invited talk at BQIT 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Invited online talk.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/qet-labs/documents/BQIT22%20full%20programme.pdf
 
Description Invited talk at QuEBS 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Invited talk at QuEBS 2022
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.quebs.gr
 
Description Summer school 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Invited lecture at UCL Advanced Summer School on Quantum Technologies, 2022
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022