| Abstract: | In this paper we propose a new interferometric scheme using photon entanglement. The two main limitations of stellar interferometry
are (a) the small sensitivity and (b) the need for long delay-lines to compensate the path difference between the telescopes
during observing runs. Entangled-photon pairs, generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion, open the way to measuring
quantum states correlation in the near infrared between two spatially separated telescopes and at very high sensitivities
(down to a few stellar photons), thanks to a new interferometric layout which does not make use of complex long delay-lines.
A femtosecond laser coupled to a nonlinear crystal is used as a local oscillator to perform the double homodyne measurements.
This new quantum interferometer allows to measure astronomical objet sizes with very high angular resolution down to μas level. |
