Fundamental limits of quantum-secure covert optical sensing

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a square root law for active sensing of phase θ of a single pixel using optical probes that pass through a single-mode lossy thermal-noise bosonic channel. Specifically, we show that, when the sensor uses an n-mode covert optical probe, the mean squared error (MSE) of the resulting estimator θn scales as 〈(θ-θn)2〉 = O(1/√n) improving the scaling necessarily leads to detection by the adversary with high probability. We fully characterize this limit and show that it is achievable using laser light illumination and a heterodyne receiver, even when the adversary captures every photon that does not return to the sensor and performs arbitrarily complex measurement as permitted by the laws of quantum mechanics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2017 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, ISIT 2017
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages3210-3214
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9781509040964
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 9 2017
Externally publishedYes
Event2017 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, ISIT 2017 - Aachen, Germany
Duration: Jun 25 2017Jun 30 2017

Publication series

NameIEEE International Symposium on Information Theory - Proceedings
ISSN (Print)2157-8095

Other

Other2017 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory, ISIT 2017
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityAachen
Period6/25/176/30/17

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • Information Systems
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Applied Mathematics

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