Quantum Lidar - Remote Sensing at the Ultimate Limit

The Louisiana State University LSU led team carried out an exhaustive study of a two-mode quantum optical sensor. The classical baseline of comparison was a standard two-mode coherent Light Detection and Ranging LIDAR system. The LSU quantum LIDAR system has many of the same features of the classical system, with the critical exception that the photon source and detection scheme were treated quantum mechanically and the complete analysis of loss was carried out in a quantum optical setting. A critical deliverable or our Phase I also is to provide a complete quantum theory and analysis of the performance of what is typically known as classical coherent LIDAR. A crucial point to realize here is that there is no such thing as classical LIDAR. The standard laser beam used in classical LIDAR is a quantum coherent state of light whose properties set the limits to resolution and sensitivity. Hence the classical baseline is in fact a quantum baseline, in this sense.