Super-resolving frequency measurement with mode-selective quantum memory

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Authors: Shicheng Zhang, Aonan Zhang, Ilse Maillette de Buy Wenniger, Paul Burdekin, Steven Sagona-Stophel, Anindya Rastogi, Sarah E. Thomas, Ian A. Walmsley
Cited by: 0
References: 59

Abstract

High-precision optical frequency measurement underpins modern science and technology, yet conventional spectroscopic techniques struggle to resolve sublinewidth spectral features. Here we introduce a platform for super-resolved frequency estimation based on a mode-selective atomic Raman quantum memory implemented in warm caesium vapour. By precisely engineering the light-matter interaction, the memory coherently stores the optimal temporal mode with high fidelity and retrieves it on demand, achieving mode crosstalk as low as 0.34%. To estimate the separation between two spectral lines, we experimentally measure the mean squared error of the frequency estimate, reaching a sensitivity of 1/20 of the linewidth and a (34 ± 4)-fold enhancement in precision over direct intensity measurements. This enhanced frequency resolution, combined with on-demand storage, retrieval and mode-conversion capabilities, establishes a pathway towards multifunctional memory-based time-frequency sensors and their integration within quantum networks.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Quantum optics and atomic interactions Advanced Frequency and Time Standards Advanced Fiber Laser Technologies

Publication details

Journal / source
Nature Sensors
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
1
Issue
7
Pages
627–635
Publication date
15 May 2026
Language
EN