Practical quantum imaging with undetected photons

Abstract

Infrared (IR) imaging is invaluable across many scientific disciplines, from material analysis to diagnostic medicine. However, applications are often limited by detector cost, resolution and sensitivity, noise caused by the thermal IR background, and the cost, portability and tunability of infrared sources. Here, we describe a compact, portable, and low-cost system that is able to image objects at IR wavelengths without an IR source or IR detector. This imaging with undetected photons (IUP) approach uses quantum interference and correlations between entangled photon pairs to transfer image information from the IR to a wavelength which can be detected with a standard silicon camera. We also demonstrate a rapid analysis approach to acquire both phase and transmission image information. These developments provide an important step towards making IUP a commercially viable technique.