1204.3697 (Mankei Tsang)

Fundamental Quantum Limit to Waveform Detection    [PDF]

Mankei Tsang

Ever since the inception of gravitational-wave detectors, limits imposed by quantum mechanics to the detection of time-varying signals have been a subject of intense research and debate. Drawing insights from quantum information theory, quantum detection theory, and quantum measurement theory, here I prove a general lower limit to the average error probability for waveform detection with a quantum system. In the case of optomechanical force detection, I derive analytic expressions for the limit in some cases of interest and discuss how the limit can be approached using quantum control techniques.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1204.3697