Project description

SUPERTWIN Microscope

Algorithm

Emitter

Detector

The goal of the SUPERTWIN project is to develop the technology foundation for advanced optical microscope imaging at a resolution beyond the Rayleigh limit, utilizing super-twinning photon states (N-partite entangled states) with de Broglie wavelength at a fraction of the wavelength of a photon in a classical state.

The SUPERTWIN microscope will comprise several building blocks for object illumination, capturing of scattered twinning photons and data processing, consisting, respectively, of solid-state emitter of entangled photons, single-photon sensors capable of detecting the back-scattered entangled photons, and data processing algorithms to generate the final sample image.

The project SUPERTWIN targets the following breakthroughs, which define also its main objectives:

Objective 1 - Beyond the Rayleigh resolution limit microscopy with super-twinning photon wavepackets: development of system concept, architecture and processing algorithms.
Objective 2 - Efficient handy solid-state source of multi-partite entangled photons based on superfluorescent (superradiant) pulse emission.
Objective 3 - Quantum optics based imager of non-local correlations in super-twinning photon wavepackets.
Objective 4 - Realisation of a demonstrator breadboard as proof-of-concept for super-resolution microscopy, with assessment of the technology benefits and roadmap.

This quantum imaging technology will open the way for a compact, portable and with no moving parts replacement of scanning near field optical microscopes. This concept will pave the way for a new paradigm in optical imaging, triggering the development of breakthrough microscopy techniques.

In order to achieve these objectives, SUPERTWIN is organized with 6 work-packages:

WP1 - Model QT experiments & preliminary design (WP leader: André Stefanov, University of Bern)

WP2 - Efficient solid-state source of highly entangled photons (WP leader: Michel Krakowski, III-V Lab)

WP3 - Quantum-optics imager using scattered super-twinning photons (WP leader: David Stoppa, Fondazione Bruno Kessler)

WP4 - Super-twinning microscope technology demonstrator (WP leader: Dmitri Boiko, Centre Suisse d'Électronique et de Microtechnique)

WP5 - Exploitation & Dissemination (WP leader: Stefano Prato, A.P.E. Research)

WP6 - Management & Coordination (WP leader: David Stoppa, Fondazione Bruno Kessler)

This project has received funding from the European Commission - H2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 686731 (SUPERTWIN project)