Hou Zhibo, Jin Yan, Chen Hongzhen, Tang Jun-Feng, Huang Chang-Jiang, Yuan Haidong, Xiang Guo-Yong, Li Chuan-Feng, Guo Guang-Can
CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China.
CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China.
Phys Rev Lett. 2021 Feb 19;126(7):070503. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.070503.
The Heisenberg scaling, which scales as N^{-1} in terms of the number of particles or T^{-1} in terms of the evolution time, serves as a fundamental limit in quantum metrology. Better scalings, dubbed as "super-Heisenberg scaling," however, can also arise when the generator of the parameter involves many-body interactions or when it is time dependent. All these different scalings can actually be seen as manifestations of the Heisenberg uncertainty relations. While there is only one best scaling in the single-parameter quantum metrology, different scalings can coexist for the estimation of multiple parameters, which can be characterized by multiple Heisenberg uncertainty relations. We demonstrate the coexistence of two different scalings via the simultaneous estimation of the magnitude and frequency of a field where the best precisions, characterized by two Heisenberg uncertainty relations, scale as T^{-1} and T^{-2}, respectively (in terms of the standard deviation). We show that the simultaneous saturation of two Heisenberg uncertainty relations can be achieved by the optimal protocol, which prepares the optimal probe state, implements the optimal control, and performs the optimal measurement. The optimal protocol is experimentally implemented on an optical platform that demonstrates the saturation of the two Heisenberg uncertainty relations simultaneously, with up to five controls. As the first demonstration of simultaneously achieving two different Heisenberg scalings, our study deepens the understanding on the connection between the precision limit and the uncertainty relations, which has wide implications in practical applications of multiparameter quantum estimation.
海森堡标度,以粒子数计按(N^{-1})标度,或以演化时间计按(T^{-1})标度,是量子计量学中的一个基本极限。然而,当参数的生成器涉及多体相互作用或与时间有关时,也会出现被称为“超海森堡标度”的更好标度。所有这些不同的标度实际上都可以看作是海森堡不确定性关系的表现形式。在单参数量子计量学中只有一种最佳标度,但在多参数估计中不同标度可以共存,这可以由多个海森堡不确定性关系来表征。我们通过同时估计一个场的幅度和频率来证明两种不同标度的共存,其中由两个海森堡不确定性关系表征的最佳精度分别按(T^{-1})和(T^{-2})标度(以标准偏差计)。我们表明,通过制备最优探测态、实施最优控制并进行最优测量的最优协议,可以实现两个海森堡不确定性关系的同时饱和。该最优协议在一个光学平台上通过实验实现,该平台展示了两个海森堡不确定性关系的同时饱和,最多有五个控制量。作为首次同时实现两种不同海森堡标度的演示,我们的研究加深了对精度极限与不确定性关系之间联系的理解,这在多参数量子估计的实际应用中有广泛的意义。