Bosonic systems, particularly in quantum optics and atomic physics, are leading platforms for achieving quantum-enhanced precision in parameter estimation. By exploiting properties such as mode and particle entanglement, it is possible to attain precisions that surpass the shot-noise limit with respect to key resources like probe number or energy. Yet the mechanisms by which these bosonic resources enable quantum enhancement remain unclear. Consequently, the design of optimal probes and evolutions often relies on case-by-case analyses, where continuous- and discrete-variable regimes are treated separately and their connection is still unclear. We develop a comprehensive framework for quantum metrology that unifies all known precision-enhancement mechanisms based on bosonic systems. Our approach employs a superselection-rule–compliant representation of the electromagnetic field that explicitly includes the phase reference, thereby enforcing total particle-number conservation and bridging the discrete and continuous limits of quantum optics and symmetric massive systems. Within this unified formalism, of which established results emerge as special cases, we identify the distinct roles of mode and particle entanglement for quantum-enhanced precision. The framework further provides general measurement-optimization strategies for arbitrary multimode entangled probe states and naturally incorporates noise and nonunitary dynamics, ensuring applicability to realistic experimental conditions.

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• Quantum metrology
• Quantum optics