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Cross-correlation scheme for quantum optical coherence tomography based on Michelson interferometer

Anna Romanova1,2,*, Vadim Rodimin1, and Konstantin Katamadze1

  • *Contact author: romanova.phys@gmail.com
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Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 064048 – Published 18 December, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/246p-64hd

Abstract

Quantum optical coherence tomography (QOCT) offers a simple way to cancel dispersion broadening in a sample while also providing twice the resolution compared to classical OCT. However, to achieve these advantages, a bright and broadband source of entangled photon pairs is required. A simple implementation uses collinear spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a Michelson interferometer (MI), yet this autocorrelation scheme suffers from parasitic terms and sensitivity to phase noise. Here, we introduce a cross-correlation MI-based QOCT that overcomes these drawbacks, significantly advancing QOCT toward practical applications.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 064048– Published 18 December, 2025
  • Received 15 May 2025
  • Revised 22 September 2025
  • Accepted 24 November 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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