Sub-wavelength imaging and irradiation with entangled particles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for using one particle out of N particles for irradiating or investigating a target are provided. A radiation source with N incoherent emitters emits a radiation, and particles of said radiation are detected by using at least N−1 detectors located at N−1 different positions. A discriminator is adapted for identifying particle detection events on at least N−1 detectors within a predetermined time period from other particle detection events.

1 . A method for using N particles for investigating an object, wherein N is greater than or equal to 2, comprising:
 fixing the position of the object;   detecting particles of radiation emitted by the object by using N detectors located at N different positions; and   discriminating single particle detections detected on all N detectors within a predetermined time period from other particle detection events.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the particles are chosen from a group consisting of photons, phonons, electrons, protons, neutrons, alpha particles, atoms, molecules, and ions. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object includes incoherent emitters chosen from a group consisting of atoms, ions, molecules, quantum dots, and Josephson circuits. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the emitters are arranged in a row. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the N detectors are arranged in a plane which includes the object. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the N detectors is adapted to be movable during the investigation. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the N detectors are arranged at positions with respect to the object so that a modulation of a signal generated by the accumulation of multiple N-particle detection events takes a form of a pure sinus-oscillation when the object consists of N incoherent emitters and at least one of the N detectors is moved. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the N detectors is moved circumferentially around the radiation source. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein two of the N detectors are circumferentially moved around the radiation source in opposite angular directions with respect to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitted by the object is scattered radiation caused by an application of radiation to the object via a second radiation source. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the second radiation source is a pulsed radiation source or a laser. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein not more than two energetic states of the object are selected in the scattering process. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation is used for microscopy. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for investigating an object, comprising:
 a fixing unit for fixing the position of the object;   N particle detectors located at N different positions for detecting particles of a radiation emitted by the object, wherein N is greater than or equal to 2; and   a discriminator adapted for discriminating single particle detection events on all detectors within a predetermined time period from other particle detection events.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the particles are chosen from a group consisting of photons, phonons, electrons, protons, neutrons, alpha particles, atoms, molecules, and ions. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the object includes incoherent emitters chosen from a group consisting of atoms, molecules, ions, quantum dots, and Josephson circuits. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the N detectors are arranged in a plane which includes the object. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the N detectors is adapted to be movable during the investigation. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a second radiation source for the excitation of the object. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the second radiation source is a pulsed radiation source or a laser.