Quantum 3-D Imaging and Reflectivity Estimation Based on Entangled Photons in Low-Light Environments
Three-dimensional (3D) imaging in low-light environments has broad application prospects. High-quality 3D imaging requires obtaining both the depth and reflectivity information of the target. With the rapid development of Quantum Information Technology (QIT), Quantum Imaging (QI) provides a new approach to achieve high-quality 3D imaging. However, traditional QI methods are limited to Two-dimensional (2D) imaging and cannot accurately extract the depth information from the target. These methods also suffer from insufficient precision in reflectivity calculations. Therefore, we introduce a novel quantum 3D imaging and reflectivity estimation method based on entangled photons. Specifically, we first utilize the spatiotemporal correlation characteristics of entangled photon pairs combined with coincidence measurement technology to accurately determine target depth. Second, we analyze the distribution of entangled photon numbers during free-space transmission to construct a photon-based detection probability model. Third, we use this model to derive the probability density function of coincidence counts. Finally, we estimate the surface reflectivity information through statistical analysis of coincidence counting. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can accurately reconstruct both depth and reflectivity profiles of the target in low-light environments. These findings validate the effectiveness of our method and highlight the potential of quantum 3D imaging for target detection in low-light environments.
Authors
- Mu Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3533-2227)
- Zhongyin Hu
- J. H. Peng
- Jingyang Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7027-905X)
- Jian Li
Institutions
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- IEEE Internet of Things Journal
- Published
- 2025-09-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1109/jiot.2025.3602473
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Optical Sensing Technologies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00