Remote sensing
Noise-tolerant single photon sensitive three-dimensional imager
Active imagers capable of reconstructing 3-dimensional (3D) scenes in the presence of strong background noise are highly desirable for many sensing and imaging applications. A key to this capability is the time-resolving photon detection that distinguishes true signal photons from the noise. To this end, quantum parametric mode sorting (QPMS) can achieve signal to noise exceeding by far what is possible with typical linear optics filters, with outstanding performance in isolating temporally and spectrally overlapping noise. Here, we report a QPMS-based 3D imager with exceptional detection sensitivity and noise tolerance. With only 0.0006 detected signal photons per pulse, we reliably reconstruct the 3D profile of an obscured scene, despite 34-fold spectral-temporally overlapping noise photons, within the 6 ps detection window (amounting to 113,000 times noise per 20 ns detection period). Our results highlight a …
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-14591-8
P Rehain, YM Sua, S Zhu, I Dickson, B Muthuswamy, J Ramanathan, ...
Mode selective up-conversion detection for LIDAR applications
We study mode selective up-conversion detection as a viable approach to improving signal-to-noise and ranging resolution in LIDAR applications. It involves pumping a nonlinear waveguide at the edge of phase matching with picosecond pulses, so that only the backscattered signal photons in a single or few desirable time-frequency modes are efficiently up-converted while the broadband background noise in all other modes is rejected. We demonstrate a 41-dB increase in the signal-to-noise ratio for single-photon counting compared to that of direct detection using a commercial InGaAs single-photon detector, while achieving sub-millimeter ranging resolution with few detected photons. The proposed technique implies new LIDAR capabilities for ranging and imaging.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-26-12-15914
A Shahverdi, YM Sua, I Dickson, M Garikapati, YP Huang
Non-invasive single photon imaging through strongly scattering media
Non-invasive optical imaging through opaque and multi-scattering media remains highly desirable across many application domains. The random scattering and diffusion of light in such media inflict exponential decay and aberration, prohibiting diffraction-limited imaging. By non-interferometric few picoseconds optical gating of backscattered photons, we demonstrate single photon sensitive non-invasive 3D imaging of targets occluded by strongly scattering media with optical thicknesses reaching 9.5l_s (19l_s round trip). It achieves diffraction-limited imaging of a target placed 130 cm away through the opaque media, with millimeter lateral and depth resolution while requiring only one photon detection out of 50,000 probe pulses. Our single photon sensitive imaging technique does not require wavefront shaping nor computationally-intensive image reconstruction algorithms, promising practical solutions for …
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-29-7-9981
S Maruca, P Rehain, YM Sua, S Zhu, Y Huang
Mode selective up-conversion detection with turbulence
We experimentally study a nonlinear optical approach to selective manipulation and detection of structured images mixed with turbulent noise. Unlike any existing adaptive-optics method by applying compensating modulation directly on the images, here we account for the turbulence indirectly, by modulating only the pump driving the nonlinear process but not the images themselves. This indirect approach eliminates any signal modulation loss or noise, while allowing more flexible and capable operations. Using specifically sum frequency generation in a lithium niobate crystal, we demonstrate selective upconversion of Laguerre-Gaussian spatial modes mixed with turbulent noise. The extinction reaches ~40 dB without turbulence, and maintains ~20 dB in the presence of strong turbulence. This technique could find utilities in classical and quantum communications, compressive imaging, pattern recognition, and so …
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53914-8
H Zhang, S Kumar, YP Huang
Super-resolution optical classifier with high photon efficiency
We propose and demonstrate a photon-efficient optical classifier to overcome the Rayleigh limit in spatial resolution. It utilizes mode-selective sum-frequency generation and single-pixel photon detection to resolve closely spaced incoherent sources based on photon counting statistics. Super-resolving and photon efficient, this technique can find applications in microscopy, light detection and ranging, and astrophysics.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=ol-45-18-4968
H Zhang, S Kumar, YP Huang
Robust and efficient single-pixel image classification with nonlinear optics
We present a hybrid image classifier by feature-sensitive image upconversion, single pixel photodetection, and deep learning, aiming at fast processing of high-resolution images. It uses partial Fourier transform to extract the images’ signature features in both the original and Fourier domains, thereby significantly increasing the classification accuracy and robustness. Tested on the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology handwritten digit images and verified by simulation, it boosts accuracy from 81.25% (by Fourier-domain processing) to 99.23%, and achieves 83% accuracy for highly contaminated images whose signal-to-noise ratio is only −17dB. Our approach could prove useful for fast lidar data processing, high-resolution image recognition, occluded target identification, and atmosphere monitoring.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=ol-46-8-1848
S Kumar, T Bu, H Zhang, I Huang, Y Huang
Quantum Airy photons
With exotic propagation properties, optical Airy beams have been well studied for innovative applications in communications, biomedical imaging, micromachining, and so on. Here we extend those studies to the quantum domain, creating quantum correlated photons in finite-energy Airy transverse modes via spontaneous parametric down conversion and subsequential spatial light modulation. Through two-photon coincidence measurements, we verify their Airy spatial wavefunctions, propagation along a parabolic trajectory, and that the spatial modulation does not introduce any observable degradation of quantum correlation between the photons. These results suggest the feasibility of using spatially structured photons for practically advantageous quantum applications.
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6455/aacac5/meta
S Maruca, S Kumar, YM Sua, JY Chen, A Shahverdi, YP Huang
Single photon imaging and sensing of highly obscured objects around the corner
Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) optical imaging and sensing of objects imply new capabilities valuable to autonomous technology, machine vision, and other applications, in which case very few informative photons are buried in strong background counts. Here, we introduce a new approach to NLOS imaging and sensing using the picosecond-gated single photon detection generated by nonlinear frequency conversion. With exceptional signal isolation, this approach can reliably achieve imaging and position retrieval of obscured objects around the corner, in which case only 4 × 10^−3 photons are needed to be detected per pulse for each pixel with high temporal resolution. Furthermore, the vibration frequencies of different objects can be resolved by analyzing the photon number fluctuation received within a ten-picosecond window, allowing NLOS acoustic sensing. Our results highlight the prospect of photon efficient …
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-29-25-40865
S Zhu, YM Sua, P Rehain, YP Huang
Deriving snow depth from ICESat-2 LiDAR multiple scattering measurements
Snow is a crucial element in the Earth system, but snow depth and mass are very challenging to measure globally. Here we provide the theoretical foundation for deriving snow depth directly from spaceborne lidar (ICESat-2) snow multiple scattering measurements for the first time. First, based on Monte Carlo lidar radiative transfer simulations of ICESat-2 measurements of 532 nm laser light propagation in snow, we find that the lidar backscattering pathlength follows the Gamma distribution. Next, we derive three simple analytical equations to compute snow depth from the average, second- and third-order moments of the distribution. The robustness of our theory is demonstrated by the agreement among the three derived relations and the convergence of the relations using a different radiative transfer calculation. As a preliminary application, these relations are then used to retrieve snow depth over the Antarctic ice sheet and the Arctic sea ice from the ICESat-2 lidar multiple scattering measurements.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2022.855159/full
Y Hu, X Lu, X Zeng, SA Stamnes, TA Neuman, NT Kurtz, P Zhai, M Gao, ...
Single-photon vibrometry
We propose and demonstrate a single-photon sensitive technique for optical vibrometry. It uses high speed photon counting to sample the modulated backscattering from a vibrating target. Designed for remote vibration sensing with ultralow photon flux, we show that this technique can detect small displacements down to 110 nm and resolve vibration frequencies from DC up to several kilohertz, with ≤0.01 detected photons per pulse. This single-photon sensitive optical vibrometry may find important applications in acousto-optic sensing and imaging, especially in photon-starved environments.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=ol-46-17-4346
P Rehain, J Ramanathan, YM Sua, S Zhu, D Tafone, YP Huang
Carbon-dioxide absorption spectroscopy with solar photon counting and integrated lithium niobate micro-ring resonator
We demonstrate a spectroscope using single-photon counters and a chip-integrated lithium niobate micro-ring filter to measure the atmospheric CO 2 absorption spectrum passively. By thermo-optically sweeping the filter over 150 pm and referencing the resulting photon counts to a bypass channel, we sample the absorption spectrum at an ultrahigh-resolution of 6 pm. Incorporating it into a ground-based field system, we characterize the CO 2 absorption through the atmosphere by counting the solar photons across the absorption line around 1572.02 nm, which agrees well with its transmission spectrum at standard atmospheric pressure. Our results highlight the potential of adopting integrated photonics and single-photon counting in remote sensing systems for high detection sensitivity, superior resolution, and significantly reduced size, weight, and power.
https://pubs.aip.org/aip/apl/article/118/17/171103/236166
J Zhang, YM Sua, JY Chen, J Ramanathan, C Tang, Z Li, Y Hu, YP Huang
Programmable Spatiotemporal Quantum Parametric Mode Sorter
We experimentally demonstrate a programmable parametric mode sorter of high-dimensional signals in a composite spatiotemporal Hilbert space through mode-selective quantum frequency up-conversion. As a concrete example and with quantum communication applications in mind, we consider the Laguerre-Gaussian and Hermite-Gaussian modes as the spatial and temporal state basis for the signals, respectively. By modulating the spatiotemporal profiles of the up-conversion pump, we demonstrate the faithful selection of signal photons in those modes and their superposition modes. Our results show an improvement in the quantum mode-sorting performance by coupling the up-converted light into a single-mode fiber and/or operating the up-conversion at the edge of phase matching. Optimizing pump temporal profiles allows us to achieve more than 12-dB extinction for mutually unbiased basis (MUB) sets of …
https://journals.aps.org/prapplied/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.19.044070
M Garikapati, S Kumar, H Zhang, YM Sua, YP Huang
Deriving Snow Depth From ICESat-2 Lidar Multiple Scattering Measurements: Uncertainty Analyses
The application of diffusion theory and Monte Carlo lidar radiative transfer simulations presented in Part I of this series of study suggests that snow depth can be derived from the first-, second- and third-order moments of the lidar backscattering pathlength distribution. These methods are now applied to the satellite ICESat-2 lidar measurements over the Arctic sea ice and land surfaces of Northern Hemisphere. Over the Arctic sea ice, the ICESat-2 retrieved snow depths agree well with co-located IceBridge snow radar measured values with a root-mean-square (RMS) difference of 7.8 cm or 29.2% of the mean snow depth. The terrestrial snow depths derived from ICESat-2 show drastic spatial variation of the snowpack along ICESat-2 ground tracks over the Northern Hemisphere, which are consistent with the University of Arizona (UA) and Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) gridded daily snow products. The RMS difference in snow depths between ICESat-2 and UA gridded daily snow products is 14 cm, or 28% of the mean UA snow depth. To better understand these results, we also discuss the possible sources of errors in ICESat-2 derived snow depths, including surface roughness within the laser footprint, atmospheric forward scattering, solar background noise, and detector dark current. Simulation results indicate that the snow depth errors would be less than 5 cm if the standard deviation of pulse spreading due to surface roughness is within 50 cm. Our results demonstrate that the ICESat-2 lidar measurements can be used to reliably derive snow depth, which is a critical geophysical parameter for cryosphere studies including sea ice …
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2022.891481/full
X Lu, Y Hu, X Zeng, SA Stamnes, TA Neuman, NT Kurtz, Y Yang, PW Zhai, ...
Quantum parametric mode sorting: a case study on small angle scattering
Quantum parametric mode sorting has been shown to enable photon counting with precise time gating and exceptional noise rejection that significantly exceeds what is possible with linear filters. While previous experimental demonstrations were in a collinear optical configuration, its response to off-axis scattering must be understood to apply it more broadly in remote sensing missions. To evaluate this prospect, we use a laboratory testbed to examine its performance for detecting photons at small angles, along both forward and backward directions, after passing through strongly scattering media. Our results find no measurable degradation in detecting noncollinear photons along both directions. This finding indicates that the key intra-pulse coherence essential to quantum parametric mode sorting is maintained at a small scattering angle, permitting its applications on a moving platform.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=josab-38-10-D15
S Zhu, YM Sua, Y Hu, C Weimer, Z Ma, Z Zheng, P Rehain, K Stamnes, ...
Yu-Ping,“Huang,“Generation of Quantum Airy Photons,”
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=15464863346829815068&hl=en&oi=scholarr
S Kumar, S Maruca, YM Sua
Laser light propagation in a turbid medium: solution including multiple scattering effects
We have shown that solutions to the radiative transfer equation for a homogeneous slab yield a zenith radiance reflectance that for collimated beam incidence in the nadir direction can be expressed in terms of the lidar ratio, defined as the extinction coefficient divided by the 180 backscattering coefficient. The recently developed QlblC method, which allows one to quantify layer-by-layer contributions to radiances emerging from a slab illuminated with a collimated beam of radiation, was used to show explicitly that in the single-scattering approximation the attenuated backscatter coefficient estimated by the new QlblC method gives the same result as the lidar equation. Originally developed for the continuous wave (CW) lidar problem, we have extended the new QlblC method to apply to the pulsed lidar problem. A specific example is provided to illustrate the challenge encountered for ocean property retrievals from …
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjd/s10053-023-00694-6
K Stamnes, W Li, S Stamnes, Y Hu, Y Zhou, N Chen, Y Fan, B Hamre, ...
Compressive Non-line-of-sight Imaging using a Convolutional Neural Network
We demonstrate compressive non-line-of-sight imaging with downsampling ratio of 6.25% by using a convolutional neural network (CNN). Photon arrival-time histogram with 10 picosecond resolution enables high-quality image reconstruction with CNN trained purely by using simulated dataset.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=LS-2022-JW4A.69
S Zhu, YM Sua, T Bu, YP Huang
Single-point material recognition by quantum parametric mode sorting and photon counting
We explore an active illumination approach to remote material recognition, based on quantum parametric mode sorting and single-photon detection. By measuring a photon’s time of flight at picosecond resolution, 97.8% recognition is demonstrated by illuminating only a single point on the materials. Thanks to the exceptional detection sensitivity and noise rejection, a high recognition accuracy of 96.1% is achieved even when the materials are occluded by a lossy and multiscattering obscurant.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=ao-60-14-4109
D Tafone, I Huang, P Rehain, S Zhu, YM Sua, Y Huang
Approaches, apparatuses and methods for lidar applications based on-mode-selective frequency conversion
Approaches, apparatuses and methods for LIDAR applications based on mode-selective frequency conversion are disclosed. In one embodiment, a pulse generation unit includes a mode-locked fiber laser and optical fiber bandpass filters. In the second embodiment, a LIDAR transceiver unit based on a simple, bidirectional monostatic coaxial arrangement using off-the-shelf tele-com-grade optical components includes optical fiber, fiber collimator, optical fiber circulator, optical fiber isolator and wavelength combiner. A frequency conversion detection system with single photon sensitivity includes a nonlinear optical material for frequency conversion, coupled with optimized pump pulses for efficient conversion and noise rejection, optical band pass filters for noise rejection and a single photon detection system for detecting the converted signal.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20210116543A1/en
Y Huang, YM SUA, A SHAHVERDI
Discriminative remote sensing and surface profiling based on superradiant photonic backscattering
Disclosed is a system and method for remote sensing, surface profiling, object identification, and aiming based on two-photon population inversion and subsequent photon backscattering enhanced by superradiance using two co-propagating pump waves. The present disclosure enables efficient and highly-directional photon backscattering by generating the pump waves in properly pulsed time-frequency modes, proper spatial modes, with proper group-velocity difference in air. The pump waves are relatively delayed in a tunable pulse delay device and launched to free space along a desirable direction using a laser-pointing device. When the pump waves overlap in air, signal photons will be created through two-photon driven superrdiant backscattering if target gas molecules are present. The backscattered signal photons propagate back, picked using optical filters, and detected. By scanning the relative delay …
https://patents.google.com/patent/US10535974B2/en
Y Huang
US Patent 10,535,974 1 2020
Mode-selective image upconversion through turbulence
We experimentally and numerically show the selective image up-conversion of Laguerre-Gaussian modes through turbulent noise, with potential applications in areas of image recognition and free-space optical communications.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=LS-2019-JW3A.46
H Zhang, S Kumar, YP Huang
Laser Science, JW3A. 46 1 2019
Photon Counting Elastography
We demonstrate a non-contact elastography with low-intensity illumination, mode-selective single photon detection, and acoustic excitation. It probes target samples with milliwatt, picosecond laser pulses and measures the backscattered photons via quantum parametric mode sorting and upconversion detection. As the acoustic frequency is swept, the samples' vibrational responses are mapped onto the photon counting histograms from which their mechanical properties--including elasticity--can be derived. By lateral and longitudinal laser scanning at a fixed frequency, an elastogram can be reliably reconstructed upon photon level signals. This technique has the potential for remote sensing and imaging of tissues and materials with differential mechanical properties in photon starved or restricted environment.
https://preprints.opticaopen.org/articles/preprint/Photon_Counting_Elastography/24412573/1
Y Huang, Z Zheng, YM Sua, S Zhu, P Rehain
Optica Open 2023
Noise-Resilient Single-Pixel Compressive Sensing with Single Photon Counting
The fast expansion of photon detection technology has fertilized the rapid growth of single-photon sensing and imaging techniques. While promising significant advantages over their classical counterparts, they suffer from ambient and quantum noises whose effects become more pronounced at low light levels and thus must be addressed to achieve high quality results. Here we study how photon-counting noises degrade a single-pixel optical classifier via compressive sensing, and how its performance can be restored by using quantum parametric mode sorting (QPMS). Using MNIST handwritten digits as an example, we examine the effects of detector dark counts and in-band background noises, and demonstrate the effectiveness of mode filtering and upconversion detection in addressing those issues. We achieve 94% classification accuracy in the presence of 500 times stronger in-band noise than the signal received. Our results suggest a robust and efficient approach to single photon sensing in noisy environment.
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-3349937/latest
YP Huang, L Li, S Kumar, YM Sua
2023
APPROACHES, APPARATUSES, AND METHODS FOR NON-INTERFEROMETRIC QUANTUM PHOTONICS VIBROMETRY
Approaches, apparatuses and methods for single photon sensitive, non-interferometric photonics vibrometry applications based on quantum parametric mode sorting, optical gating and single photon counting are disclosed. In one embodiment, a controller module includes a photon detection unit, a pulse generator unit, a time synchronization unit, a data acquisition and processing unit and a central controller unit. In the second embodiment, a probe module with beam raster scanning ability includes an optical transceiver unit based on a bidirectional monostatic coaxial arrangement using off-the-shelf optical components and an optical beam steering device.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20230288248A1/en
Y Huang, Y Sua, P Rehain, S Zhu, D Tafone, J Ramanathan
US Patent App. 17/899,493 2023
Devices and methods for giant single-photon nonlinearities
A periodically poled microring resonator structure, a method for fabrication of the periodically poled microring resonator structure, and a method to achieve giant single-photon nonlinearity are disclosed. The strong single-photon nonlinearity in the microring resonator structure is achieved through its optimized design and fabrication procedures.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US11754908B2/en
Y Huang, J Chen
US Patent 11,754,908 2023
Surface material recognition through machine learning using time of flight LiDAR
We explore an active illumination approach for remote and obscured material recognition, based on quantum parametric mode sorting and single-photon detection. By raster scanning a segment of material, we capture the relationships between each mirror position’s peak count and location. These features allow for a robust measurement of a material’s relative reflectance and surface texture. Through inputting these identifiers into machine learning algorithms, a high accuracy of 99% material recognition can be achieved, even maintaining up to 89.17% accuracy when materials are occluded by a lossy and multi-scattering obscurant of up to 15.2 round-trip optical depth.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=optcon-2-8-1813
D Tafone, L McEvoy, YM Sua, P Rehain, Y Huang
Optics Continuum 2 (8), 1813-1824 2023
System and methods for gas spectroscopic sensing with photon counting and tunable integrated photonic filters
A spectroscope using single-photon counters and a chip-integrated lithium niobate micro-ring filter to measure the atmospheric CO2 absorption spectrum passively is disclosed. By thermo-optically sweeping the filter over 150 pm and referencing the resulting photon counts to a bypass channel, the absorption spectrum can be sampled at an ultrahigh-resolution of 6 pm. The spectroscope can be a part of a ground-based field system, wherein the CO2 absorption through the atmosphere can be characterized by counting the solar photons across the absorption line around 1572.02 nm, which agrees well with its transmission spectrum at standard atmospheric pressure.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20230079367A1/en
Y Huang, YM Sua, J Zhang, J Chen, J Ramanathan
US Patent App. 17/944,965 2023
A Time-Gated, Time-Correlated Single-Photon-Counting Lidar to Observe Atmospheric Clouds at Submeter Resolution
Most lidars used for cloud observations have the range resolution of about 10 m, so they are incapable of resolving submeter-scale processes that are crucial to cloud evolution. This article describes a prototype of a ground-based, vertically pointing, time-gated, time-correlated single-photon-counting lidar (referred to as the T2 lidar) developed to explore atmospheric clouds at range resolution two orders of magnitude finer than traditional atmospheric lidars. The T2 lidar emits green-light pulses (532 nm) at a repetition rate of 20.6 kHz and a pulse width of ∼650 ps, which enables the observation of aerosol and cloud layers at heights from a few hundred meters to 7.28 km above the ground level at range resolution down to 10 cm. In addition, a digital delay pulse generator controls the detector to only receive photons for a short period after each laser pulse. This time-gated technique blocks photons arriving from regions outside the target zone, thus significantly reducing the noise level and allowing observation even inside clouds. Initial observations show that the T2 lidar can detect sharp cloud boundaries and fine structures near the cloud base. Such refined measurements of cloud structure could lead to an improved understanding of microphysical processes such as droplet activation, entrainment and mixing, and precipitation.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/6/1500
F Yang, YM Sua, A Louridas, K Lamer, Z Zhu, E Luke, YP Huang, ...
Remote Sensing 15 (6), 1500 2023
Material recognition using time of flight Lidar surface analysis
We are investigating a method for identifying materials from a distance, even when they are obscured, using a technique called Quantum Parametric Mode Sorting and single photons detection. By scanning a segment of the material, we are able to capture data on the relationships between the peak count of photons reflected at each position and the location of that reflection. This information allows us to measure the relative reflectance of the material and the texture of its surface, which enables us to achieve a material recognition accuracy of 99%, even maintaining 89.17% when materials are obscured by a lossy and multi-scattering obscurant that causes up to 15.2 round-trip optical depth.
D Tafone, L McEvoy, YM Sua, P Rehain, Y Huang
Quantum Sensing, Imaging, and Precision Metrology 12447, 40-44 2023
Quantum Parametric Mode Sorting Lidar for Measurement of Snow Properties
Snowpack and glaciers provide essential water resources for a large fraction of Earth's population; moreover snowpack has significant impact on weather, climate, and ecosystem functioning through a variety of different mechanisms. While snow cover extent can be measured via satellite remote sensing (Dozier, 1989), snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow depth measurements are much more challenging. Several satellite remote sensing data products (eg, AMSR-E passive microwave) inform global estimates of SWE and snow depth, but with large uncertainties (Dawson, 2016).
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022AGUFM.C41D..01L/abstract
J Lee, CS Weimer, J Applegate, B Walters, YM Sua, S Zhu, Y Huang, ...
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2022, C41D-01 2022
Oxygen A-band absorption spectroscopy with solar photon counting and lithium niobate nanophotonic circuits
Oxygen A-band measurements can provide important information about cloud top height, cloud physical and optical thickness, and surface atmospheric pressure. So far, O2 A-band measurements are typically made with spectrometers at a spectral resolution of 40 pm (such as in the OCO-2 satellite) or a coarser resolution. This paper reports a new CubeSat measurement concept with higher spectral resolution over the O2 A-band using integrated photonic circuits and solar photon counting techniques. An integrated Micro-ring filter (MRR) chip with 10~pm resonant linewidth with an extinction ratio of 25 dB or higher is designed, fabricated, and used for precise measurements of the atmospheric oxygen A-band absorption line-shapes around 770 nm. With solar-photon counting and using a narrow-band filter made of an integrated, fast-swept MRR on LNOI, we have demonstrated a high-resolution measurement of the O2 A-band absorption spectrum, exhibiting good agreement with the HITRAN database.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2022.1064244/full
J Zhang, YM Sua, Y Hu, J Ramanathan, YP Huang
Frontiers in Remote Sensing 3, 1064244 2022
A novel approach to solve forward/inverse problems in remote sensing applications
Inversion of electromagnetic (EM) signals reflected from or transmitted through a medium, or emitted by it due to internal sources can be used to investigate the optical and physical properties of a variety of scattering/absorbing/emitting materials. Such media encompass planetary atmospheres and surfaces (including water/snow/ice), and plant canopies. In many situations the signals emerging from such media can be described by a linear transport equation which in the case of EM radiation is the radiative transfer equation (RTE). Solutions of the RTE can be used as a forward model to solve the inverse problem to determine the medium state parameters giving rise to the emergent (reflected/transmitted/emitted) EM signals. A novel method is developed to determine layer-by-layer contributions to the emergent signals from such stratified, multilayered media based on the solution of the pertinent RTE. As a specific example of how this approach may be applied, the radiation reflected from a multilayered atmosphere is used to solve the problem relevant for EM probing by a space-based lidar system. The solutions agree with those obtained using the standard lidar approach for situations in which single scattering prevails, but this novel approach also yields reliable results for optically thick, multiple scattering aerosol and cloud layers that cannot be provided by the traditional lidar approach.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2022.1025447/full
K Stamnes, W Li, S Stamnes, Y Hu, Y Zhou, N Chen, Y Fan, B Hamre, ...
Frontiers in Remote Sensing 3, 1025447 2022
Atmospheric Oxygen Absorption Measurement around 770 nm Using Solar Photon Counting and Integrated Lithium Niobate Nanophotonics
We demonstrate a new method to measure the absorption spectrum of atmospheric Oxygen (O 2) around 770 nm, using solar photon counting and a sweeping high quality factor (Q factor) on-chip integrated lithium niobate micro-ring resonator filter.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=FiO-2022-JW4A.52
J Zhang, YM Sua, J Ramanathan, Y Hu, YP Huang
Frontiers in Optics, JW4A. 52 2022
Devices and methods for giant single-photon nonlinearities
A periodically poled microring resonator structure, a method for fabrication of the periodically poled microring resonator structure, and a method to achieve giant single-photon nonlinearity are disclosed. The strong single-photon nonlinearity in the microring resonator structure is achieved through its optimized design and fabrication procedures.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220075238A1/en
Y Huang, J Chen
US Patent App. 17/468,182 2022
Discriminative remote sensing and surface profiling based on superradiant photonic backscattering
Disclosed is a system and method for remote sensing, surface profiling, object identification, and aiming based on two-photon population inversion and subsequent photon backscattering enhanced by superradiance using two co-propagating pump waves. The present disclosure enables efficient and highly-directional photon backscattering by generating the pump waves in properly pulsed time-frequency modes, proper spatial modes, with proper group-velocity difference in air. The pump waves are relatively delayed in a tunable pulse delay device and launched to free space along a desirable direction using a laser-pointing device. When the pump waves overlap in air, signal photons will be created through two-photon driven superradiant backscattering if target gas molecules are present. The backscattered signal photons propagate back, picked using optical filters, and detected. By scanning the relative delay …
https://patents.google.com/patent/US11264775B2/en
Y Huang
US Patent 11,264,775 2022
Single photon imaging and sensing of obscured objects around the corner
S Zhu, YM Sua, P Rehain, YP Huang
arXiv preprint arXiv:2106.08210 2021
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Absorption Measurement using Integrated Lithium Niobate Nanophotonics
We use photon counting and a sweeping high-Q microring on chip to obtain the atmospheric carbon dioxide absorption spectrum around 1572.022 nm.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=CLEO_AT-2021-AW2S.5
J Zhang, YM Sua, J Chen, J Ramanathan, C Tang, Y Hu, YP Huang
CLEO: Applications and Technology, AW2S. 5 2021
Non-line-of-sight imaging with picosecond optical-gated single photon detection
We demonstrated a non-line-of-sight imaging and tracking system with picosecond optical-gated single photon detection. It sees through obscureness while achiev-ing high resolution NLOS 3D imaging and position retrieval.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=CLEO_SI-2021-STu2F.1
S Zhu, YM Sua, P Rehain, YP Huang
CLEO: Science and Innovations, STu2F. 1 2021
Discriminative remote sensing and surface profiling based on superradiant photonic backscattering
Disclosed is a system and method for remote sensing, surface profiling, object identification, and aiming based on two-photon population inversion and subsequent photon backscattering enhanced by superradiance using two co-propagating pump waves. The present disclosure enables efficient and highly-directional photon backscattering by generating the pump waves in properly pulsed time-frequency modes, proper spatial modes, with proper group-velocity difference in air. The pump waves are relatively delayed in a tunable pulse delay device and launched to free space along a desirable direction using a laser-pointing device. When the pump waves overlap in air, signal photons will be created through two-photon driven superradiant backscattering if target gas molecules are present. The backscattered signal photons propagate back, picked using optical filters, and detected. By scanning the relative delay …
https://patents.google.com/patent/US10819081B2/en
Y Huang
US Patent 10,819,081 2020
Mode-Selective Image Upconversion Through Turbulence
We experimentally demonstrate a frequency upconversion approach to selective detection of structured images passing through turbulent media, where the turbulence is indirectly compensated by modulating the upconversion pump.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=CQO-2019-W6A.20
S Kumar, H Zhang, YP Huang
Conference on Coherence and Quantum Optics, W6A. 20 2019
Noise-tolerant 3D Imaging
We demonstrate noise-tolerant 3D imaging with 8 dB noise rejection beyond the theoretical limit of linear-optical matched filters. We perform the imaging from only 0.0006 detected signal photons per pulse despite being swamped by 50-folds stronger background noise.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=cleo_si-2019-JTh5A.10
P Rehain, YM Sua, S Zhu, I Dickson, B Muthuswamy, J Ramanathan, ...
CLEO: Science and Innovations, JTh5A. 10 2019
Noise tolerant LIDAR via mode selective up-conversion detection
We study mode selective up-conversion detection to improve SNR for LIDAR applications. We demonstrate a 41-dB increase in the SNR for single-photon counting compared to that of direct detection using a InGaAs single-photon detector.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=fio-2018-JTu3A.8
A Shahverdi, YM Sua, I Dickson, M Garikapati, YP Huang
Frontiers in Optics, JTu3A. 8 2018
Interaction-free All-optical Modulation on Chip
We report the observation of quantum Zeno blockade on chip, where a lightwave is modulated by another in a distinct “interaction-free” manner. For quantum applications, we also verify its operations on single photons.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=FiO-2017-JW4A.12
JY Chen, YM Sua, ZT Zhao, M Li, YP Huang
Frontiers in Optics, JW4A. 12 2017
Interaction-free All-optical Switches for Quantum Applications
We present a realization of all-optical switching in whispering-gallery-mode microcavities. Operating without the control and probe light beams overlapping in the cavity (in the asymptotic limit), such switches are ideal for use with quantum signals.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=fio-2014-FM4B.2
YP Huang, AS Kowligy, YZ Sun, DV Strekalov, P Kumar
Frontiers in Optics, FM4B. 2 2014
All-optical quantum switching
We will present progress in ultrafast all-optical quantum switching. c (3)-based devices can route entangled photons without disturbing their quantum state, whereas c (2)-based devices can, in principle, lead to dissipation-free quantum-optical Fredkin gates.
https://opg.optica.org/abstract.cfm?uri=Photonics-2012-W1C.1
P Kumar, YP Huang
International Conference on Fibre Optics and Photonics, W1C. 1 2012
Ultrafast switching of photonic entanglement
We present our recent development of fiber-optic technology for all-optical switching and routing of entangled photons at high speeds, with minimal loss and added in-band noise, and-most importantly-without disturbing the photons' quantum state.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6358668/
NN Oza, YP Huang, P Kumar
IEEE Photonics Conference 2012, 413-414 2012
Quantum information processing in the telecom waveband
We present recent progress in all-optical routing of entangled single photons at high speeds, with minimal loss and added in-band noise, and-most importantly-without disturbing the photons' quantum state.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6476434/
P Kumar, YP Huang, JB Altepeter, M Patel, NN Oza, MA Hall
OFC/NFOEC, 1-3 2012
Mixing light and matter waves: Principles and applications
The work of this dissertation is committed to theoretically explore rich physics involving quantum-mechanical mixing of light and matter waves, while specifically seeking applications in the fields of quantum interferometry, quantum information processing, and testing fundamental quantum mechanics. Towards this goal, the present research is guided by two lines. The first line is to study and manipulate collective behaviors of multi-atom systems at quantum-degenerate temperature, where the wave nature of atoms is maximized. Specifically, a variety of phase-coherent mixing processes of two macroscopic matter-waves, in the form of gaseous Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), are investigated and engineered via (i) tuning atomic collisional interaction and/or inter-wave tunneling rate;(ii) mixing with optical waves of phase-locked lasers. By these means, a series of novel applications are proposed for generating highly …
Y Huang
Michigan State University 2009
Interaction-and measurement-free quantum information processing with single-atom and/or single-photon qubits
Interaction-free measurement (IFM) uses quantum interference to allow a single photon to detect a perfectly absorbing object without the photon interacting with the object directly. In high-efficiency IFM, the Quantum Zeno Effect is employed to increase the success probability from the original 50% to (Na)/N, where N is the number of cycles the photon makes through the device and a 1. In principle IFM protocols allow the hyperfine state of a single atom to become entangled with the polarization of a single photon. To date, attempts to employ this entanglement to create universal atom-atom quantum logic gates, such as CNOT gates, have not succeeded in achieving (Na)/N efficiency. In addition, they also require the detection of ancillary photons. At present, single-photon detection cannot be implemented experimentally with high efficiency. By making several key modications, we have developed a pair of …
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007APS..DMP.W5002M/abstract
M Moore, Y Huang
APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Meeting Abstracts 38 … 2007
Measuring an unknown phase with quantum-limited precision using nonlinear beamsplitters
High precision phase measurement is currently a central goal of quantum interferometry. In general, the precision is described by the phase estimation uncertainty δθ, which is characterized by two scaling behaviors, shot-noise limited with δθ∼ 1/√ N and Heisenberg limited with δθ∼ 1/N (N the total particle number). According to Bayesian analysis, Heisenberg limited preciosion for θ= 0 can be achieved in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with (| N-1, N+ 1>+| N+ 1, N-1>)/√ 2 as input state based and a single measurement or| N, N> input based on multiple measurements. As θ deviates from zero, both schemes degrade rapidly to worse than shot-noise-limited precision. In contrast, a Quantum Fourier Transform (QFT) based interferometer can measure an arbitrary θ at Heisenberg limited precision, but requires a quantum computer. To extend the range of precisely measurable θ without a quantum computer, we …
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007APS..DMP.W5001H/abstract
Y Huang, M Moore
APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Meeting Abstracts 38 … 2007
Linking lidar multiple scattering profiles to snow depth and snow density: an analytical radiative transfer analysis and the implications for remote sensing of snow
Lidar multiple scattering measurements provide probability distribution of the distance laser light travels inside snow. Based on an analytic two-stream radiative transfer solution, the present study demonstrates why/how these lidar measurements can be used to derive snow depth and snow density. In particular, for a laser wavelength with little snow absorption, an analytical radiative transfer solution is leveraged to prove that the snow physical depth is half of the average distance photons travel inside snow, and to prove that the relationship linking lidar measurements and the extinction coefficient of the snow (Hu et al., 2022) is valid. Theoretical formulas that link lidar measurements to the extinction coefficient and the effective grain size of snow are provided. Snow density can also be derived from the multi-wavelength lidar measurements of snow extinction coefficient and snow effective grain size. Alternatively …
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2023.1202234/full
Y Hu, X Lu, X Zeng, C Gatebe, P Yang, C Weimer, S Stamnes, G Creary, ...
Frontiers in Remote Sensing 4, 1202234