Correlated Noise Estimation with Quantum Sensor Networks

Abstract: In this article, we address the metrological problem of estimating collective stochastic properties of a many-body quantum system. Canonical examples include center-of-mass quadrature fluctuations in a system of bosonic modes and correlated dephasing in an ensemble of qubits (e.g., spins) or fermions. We develop a theoretical framework to determine the limits of correlated (weak) noise estimation with quantum sensor networks and unveil the requirements for entanglement advantage. Notably, an advantage emerges from the synergistic interplay between quantum correlations of the sensors and classical (spatial) correlations of the noises. We determine optimal entangled probe states and identify a sensing protocol, reminiscent of a many-body echo sequence, that achieves the fundamental limits of measurement sensitivity for a broad class of problems.