Holographic imaging has taken a significant step forward thanks to a new quantum-based technique developed by engineers at Brown University, including two undergraduate students. This innovative approach harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to generate detailed 3D holograms—without relying on traditional infrared cameras.

The method uses invisible infrared light to illuminate microscopic objects, while entangled visible light captures both the intensity and phase of the light waves—an essential element for creating true holographic images. The process, called Quantum Multi-Wavelength Holography, overcomes longstanding technical hurdles such as phase wrapping and significantly expands the depth range of holographic imaging.

The project was co-led by engineering physics junior Moe (Yameng) Zhang and fellow undergraduate Wenyu Liu. They presented their research at the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics. Their work was supervised by professors Jimmy Xu and Petr Moroshkin from Brown’s School of Engineering.

This technique pairs two entangled photons: the “idler” photon, which interacts with the object, and the “signal” photon, which forms the image. A special crystal generates the photon pairs—infrared for probing and visible for imaging. This pairing enables the use of standard, affordable silicon detectors instead of costly infrared cameras.

Traditional imaging relies on capturing light that bounces off objects, but this quantum method allows for imaging through “indirect photons.” Infrared light is ideal for biological imaging due to its ability to penetrate skin and other delicate materials. However, the challenge has always been the need for expensive infrared detectors. By detecting with visible light, the Brown team’s method bridges this gap cost-effectively.

One of the most significant achievements of the project is its solution to the issue of phase wrapping. This problem limits the depth measurement of 3D imaging when features exceed the wavelength of the light used. To overcome this, the team utilized two sets of entangled photons with slightly different wavelengths. This creates a much longer synthetic wavelength—about 25 times longer than the originals—which allows for precise imaging of deeper structures.

The researchers successfully demonstrated their technique by creating a 3D holographic image of a tiny metal letter “B,” just 1.5 millimeters wide, as a nod to Brown University. This experiment serves as a strong proof-of-concept for using quantum entanglement to generate high-resolution 3D images.

This breakthrough marks a major milestone in the field of quantum imaging and opens new possibilities for applications in biology, materials science, and beyond.

By Impact Lab