Sensing Rotations with Multiplane Light Conversion
Matias Eriksson, Aaron Z. Goldberg, Markus Hiekkamäki, Frédéric Bouchard, J. Řeháček, Z. Hradil, Gerd Leuchs, Robert Fickler, L. L. Sánchez-Soto
Abstract
Because any unitary operation is a rotation, in a sense measuring rotation is the most universal sort of measurement. In practice, precise rotation measurements are essential, from magnetometry to inertial navigation to fundamental tests of physics. The ultimate limits for simultaneously measuring all of the components of a rotation are dictated by quantum theory, and here are tested using light's orbital angular momentum and multiplane light conversion. Rotated states are projected onto a set of coherent states to deduce the rotation parameters, using a method inspired by GPS. The results are near the ultimate limits of quantum precision.