Efficient ultrafast homodyne detection of quantum light

Ultrafast continuous-variable quantum states have potential applications in advanced quantum technologies, but efficient homodyne detection of these states remains challenging. Here, we present a method for efficient ultrafast homodyne detection by exploiting temporal correlations in detector signals. By optimizing the temporal weighting function used to extract quadrature outcomes, we achieve a substantial increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of ultrafast homodyne detection, thereby improving the detection efficiency. We analyze the autocorrelations of shot noise and electronic noise and determine the optimal weighting function by solving a generalized Rayleigh quotient problem. The optimal weighting function enhances the squeezing and anti-squeezing levels observed experimentally. These results highlight the importance of optimized signal processing for efficient quantum measurements.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42005-026-02887-y. 8 Sync News only summarizes and links out; content copyright belongs to the authors and original sources.