Gaussian theory for estimating fluctuating perturbations with backaction-evading oscillator variables

Abstract

We apply a Gaussian state formalism to track fluctuating perturbations that act on the position and momentum quadrature variables of a harmonic oscillator. Following a seminal proposal by Tsang and Caves [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 123601 (2010)], Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen correlations with the quadrature variables of an ancillary harmonic oscillator are leveraged to significantly improve the estimates as relevant sensor variables can be arbitrarily squeezed while evading adverse effects from the conjugate, anti-squeezed variables. Our real-time analysis of the continuous monitoring of the system employs a hybrid quantum-classical description of the quantum probe and the unknown classical perturbations, and it provides a general formalism to establish the achievements of the sensing scheme and how they depend on different parameters.