Grant: Alliance Grants

We propose the establishment of an NCERC-funded Alliance in the area of Quantum Enhanced Sensing and Imaging (QuEnSI). Sensing and imaging are key enabling technologies; they lay at the heart of most industrial endeavors. Improved sensing would, for example, allow one to perform distance measurements more accurately, leading to better performance of any commercial product. Imaging is a special kind of sensing, in which one wants to make accurate measurements on an array of points within a scene. Research over the past several decades has shown that quantum measurement methods can be applied to obtain measurement accuracy that is enhanced with respect to accuracy achievable with classical (non-quantum) measurements. Our proposed work intends to apply this knowledge to a slew of practical problems encountered in present society. To support these aims, we have established a team of ten scientists from several universities in Canada. These scientists come from universities at a variety of geographical regions in Canada. They also present diverse background in terms of gender and stage of academic career. To augment these academic players, we have also identified five non-academic partner institutions in Canada or from overseas with a strong connection to Canadian science. Our workplan is diverse. We have major efforts in quantum sensing with atoms, quantum sensing in biology, quantum imaging and microscopy, quantum sensing with artificial intelligence, and quantum lidar. Our research methodology includes some novel concepts such as nonlinear wave mixing involving both electric-dipole and magnetic-dipole coupling and replacing the pump beam in spontaneous parametric downconversion with an intense pump so that many photon pairs are created. Our management structure is intended to bring a diverse set of people and organizations into any decision-making process.