Fundamental limit of linear bosonic sensors and the Schawlow-Townes laser linewidth limit

Abstract: In recent years, many peculiar sensors have been proposed, such as the sensors based on exceptional points, Parity-Time symmetric structures or non-reciprocal systems. It is crucial to evaluate the fundamental limit of these sensing schemes and to judge whether there is an enhanced performance. Several papers have already investigated the fundamental limits based on different aspects and criteria, some led to different conclusions. In this paper, we suggest that for linear bosonic sensors that can be modeled as coupled oscillators below threshold, a measurement of the mode frequency $w_0$ can not has a precision beyond $\frac{\sqrt{\kappa_0}}{2\sqrt{n\tau}}$, in which $\kappa_{0}$ is the intrinsic loss, $n$ is the average particle number at that mode and $\tau$ is the measurement time. Such a precision limit can already be achieved for a single mode passive sensor, and we have proved that it can not be exceeded by adding gain components, or by coupling it to other modes to form a n-mode linear sensor. Further more, we recognize that the above limit is comparative to the frequency uncertainty ($\frac{\sqrt{\kappa_0}}{\sqrt{2 n\tau}}$) for an above-threshold oscillation mode (e.g. a laser cavity above threshold), which is related to the Schawlow-Townes laser linewidth limit. This observation makes us conjecture that the limit we proposed for linear sensors may be a basic general limit which restricts most, if not all, sensors.