Noise-tolerant correlated coincidence imaging based on super-correlated light at 1550 nm

Abstract

Single-photon-level imaging at 1550 nm is a key driver for significant advancements in the next-generation laser detection technology. This cutting-edge approach plays a vital role in space ranging, target recognition, and three-dimensional remote sensing. However, it has faced severe challenges such as insufficient noise-tolerant performance. Here, we introduced noise-tolerant correlated coincidence imaging (CCI) based on super-correlated light. The light source, generated through nonlinear interaction between a pulsed laser and a photonic crystal fiber, exhibits a broader power-law photon number probability distribution and extremely strong photon correlation (with second-order correlation function $g^{(2)}(0)$ up to 18,166). Our noise-tolerant CCI can resist random environmental noise up to 100,000 times stronger than the echo signal photons. Super-correlated light offers an exceptionally strong noise tolerance for single-photon-level imaging in extreme environments with intense noise, paving the way for the future development of extremely sensitive light detection.