Quantum Sensing with a Single-Qubit Pseudo-Hermitian System

Phys Rev Lett. 2020 Jan 17;124(2):020501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.020501.

Abstract

Quantum sensing exploits the fundamental features of a quantum system to achieve highly efficient measurement of physical quantities. Here, we propose a strategy to realize a single-qubit pseudo-Hermitian sensor from a dilated two-qubit Hermitian system. The pseudo-Hermitian sensor exhibits divergent susceptibility in a dynamical evolution that does not necessarily involve an exceptional point. We demonstrate its potential advantages to overcome noises that cannot be averaged out by repetitive measurements. The proposal is feasible with the state-of-art experimental capability in a variety of qubit systems, and represents a step towards the application of non-Hermitian physics in quantum sensing.