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Toward integrated sensors for optimized optical coherence tomography with undetected photons

Franz Roeder1,2,*, René Pollmann1,2, Viktor Quiring1,2, Christof Eigner1, Benjamin Brecht1,2, and Christine Silberhorn1,2

  • 1Paderborn University, Institute for Photonic Quantum Systems (PhoQS), Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
  • 2Paderborn University, Integrated Quantum Optics, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany

  • *Contact author: franz.roeder@uni-paderborn.de
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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 034031 – Published 10 March, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/cwsx-42c4

Abstract

The development of practical sensors for optical coherence tomography (OCT) with undetected photons requires miniaturization via integration. To be practical, these sensors must exhibit a large spectral bandwidth and a high brightness, which are linked to a high axial resolution and a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, respectively. Here, we combine these requirements in a scheme for OCT measurements with undetected photons based on nonlinear Ti:LiNbO3 waveguides. We investigate the performance benchmarks of the commonly used SU(1,1) scheme in comparison to an induced-coherence scheme and find that the latter is actually better suited when implementing measurements with undetected photons in integrated systems. In both schemes, we perform pump-gain optimization and OCT measurements with undetected photons with an axial resolution as low as 28μm.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 034031– Published 10 March, 2026
  • Received 8 September 2025
  • Revised 10 November 2025
  • Accepted 7 January 2026
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