Bayesian estimation of quantum optical phase by photon counting

Photon count distributions at the outputs of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer are highly dependent on the phase difference between the two arms of the apparatus. Experimental results have shown that phase information can be inferred from the data even at low mean intensities of ≲10 photons. Here, we co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Signal processing 2004-08, Vol.84 (8), p.1461-1471
Main Authors: Rimmer, David, Fitzgerald, William J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Bayesian parameter estimation
Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction
Exact sciences and technology
Information, signal and communications theory
Quantum statistical inference
Signal and communications theory
Signal, noise
Telecommunications and information theory
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Summary:Photon count distributions at the outputs of a Mach–Zehnder interferometer are highly dependent on the phase difference between the two arms of the apparatus. Experimental results have shown that phase information can be inferred from the data even at low mean intensities of ≲10 photons. Here, we consider the optimal Bayesian parameter estimate for the model used by a previous frequentist analysis. A numerical study of the experiment is presented along with a novel numerical Bayesian estimator which out-performs the existing estimators.
ISSN:0165-1684
1872-7557
DOI:10.1016/j.sigpro.2004.05.020