Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We present and theoretically analyze a method for direct estimation of the second-order correlation function $g^{(2)}(0)$ from the click statistics of a multiplexed detector composed of M binary on-off detection channels. The method uses linear estimators of the first and second moments of the photon-number operator and can provide accurate results even for optical fields with substantial mean photon numbers. For a fixed number of channels, the detection range can be extended by introducing additional losses before the detector. We demonstrate the performance of the method for coherent, thermal, amplitude-squeezed, and photon-added coherent states. We also derive a nonclassicality criterion based on the estimated correlation function and show how the method can be adapted to unbalanced detectors. Our work establishes direct estimation of $g^{(2)}(0)$ as a simple and versatile method for quantitatively characterizing quantum light using multiplexed click detectors.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Author: Fiurášek, Jaromír
Institution: Palacký University Olomouc
Language: English
Subfield: Artificial Intelligence
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7220424523