Multiphoton Hong–Ou–Mandel interference enables superresolution of bright thermal sources

Abstract We present a quantum optical scheme imaging scheme for transversely displaced thermal sources of arbitrary intensities by employing multiphoton interference with a reference single-photon Fock state at a beamsplitter. Obtaining an analytical form for transverse momenta-resolved L -photon probabilities in either output, we show via Fisher information analysis that separation estimators built using interference sampling of multiphoton events exhibit significantly enhanced precision vis-à-vis existing imaging schemes over a wide range of separations and brightness. Even-photon-number coincidences exhibit constant precision in the sub-Rayleigh regime, demonstrating quantum superresolution of our scheme beyond the diffraction limit. For sources emitting on average N s ∼ 1 photon per frame (such as in IR emission of thermal sources), precision bounds for our scheme scale linearly in N s , exemplifying an enhanced precision of estimators in relation to weak sources N s ≪ 1 , and matching the ultimate quantum scaling. Finally, transverse momenta resolution in the Fourier plane produces finite imaging precisions for intermediate and large source separations using coarse pixel sizes of order δ y ∼ 100 μ m for exemplary image spot sizes σ x ∼ 0.1 μ m . This is in contrast with existing schemes of diffraction-limited direct imaging and superresolved inversion interferometric imaging that are severely degraded by coarse pixel sizes and have limited use. Combining the relatively straightforward sensing operation of Hong–Ou–Mandel interferometers with multiphoton coincidence detection of arbitrarily bright thermal sources and inner variable resolution of transverse photonic momenta, our scheme offers a robust alternative to non-invasive single-particle tracking and imaging of bright sources in nanoscopic chemical and biological systems.