Parameter Estimation in a Continuously Monitored Non-Markovian Quantum System

Abstract

Continuous monitoring is a powerful tool for analyzing quantum systems and is increasingly used as a non-demolition technique in quantum metrology. In this context, noisy data acquired through continuous monitoring can be used to precisely pinpoint unknown parameters of the system. However, extending the theoretical framework that connects these data to the underlying parameters beyond Markovian dynamics is notoriously difficult, primarily because such dynamics cannot be expressed as completely positive divisible maps. To overcome this, we propose a method based on the reaction coordinate mapping to extend these parameter-estimation techniques beyond the Markovian regime. Our approach specifically targets linear systems with non-Markovian dynamics undergoing Gaussian continuous measurements, such as homodyne detection. Within this framework, we analyze Bayesian estimation and provide an analytical expression for the Fisher information, alongside the asymptotic scaling of the estimation precision for arbitrary parameters. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of our method through the example of thermometry of a bosonic bath.