SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering (SSRG-IJECE) – Volume 3 Issue 8 – August 2016
A Review on Quantum Radar Technology and
its Application in Defence Equipment
Ankur Saharia1, Sonali Bansal2
Poornima Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jaipur, India
Abstract- The Radar is a remote-sensing device
which detects and identifies targets in all weathers.
With the development of the radar system, the
requirement of high image quality makes the radar
system more complicated, so the current radar
systems need a revolution. Quantum radar is a new
detection technology based on the mechanism of
quantum physics and is proving very efficient for
enhancing radar target detection capability.
Theoretical analysis shows that quantum
measurement can overcome the standard quantum
limits and reach the super sensitivity level.
Quantum radar systems based on quantum
measurement can fulfil both conventional target
detection and recognition tasks and is also capable
of detecting RF stealth platforms and weapon
systems.
Keywords- Quantum Radar, Quantum
Entanglement, Target Detection, Quantum
Illumination
I. INTRODUCTION
Radar is a kind of active remote-sensing device
which has the abilities to detect and identify targets
in all weathers. According to different functions
and operating mechanisms, radars may be
classified into many types. Although classification
methods vary a lot, the essence of radars is
permanent. That is, the core of radars is to detect
and identify interested targets in which people are
interested.
Modern radar systems are getting incapable to meet
the increasing performance requirements. For
instance, as the stealth technology is becoming
widespread, the pursuit of higher resolution and
higher detection probability against stealth targets
is more urgent than ever before. As a consequence,
there is a crucial need to improve the performance
of radar systems. The enhancement of the overall
performance depends on the increase of the
sensitivity [1, 3], The sensitivity of modern radar
sensors is restricted by the noise so that the
sensitivity cannot be increased dramatically in
ISSN: 2348 – 8549 www.internationaljournalssrg.org
current radar mechanism. Sensors using entangled
photons have the potential to improve the
sensitivity at utmost [2, 3]. Under such
background, quantum radar is proposed as a novel
remote-sensing device
which processes quantum information of entangled
photons. Quantum radars have many special
properties so that it seems to have the capability to
solve many intractability challenges which make a
great impact on the classical radar systems.
II. CONCEPT OF QUANTUM RADAR
Quantum radar can be defined as a kind of stand-
off measurement system which using microwave
photons, optical photon as well, and quantum
phenomena to improve the target detection and
recognition performance. Quantum radar is a
theoretical remote-sensing method based on
quantum entanglement.
Figure 1: Operation of Quantum Radar
Quantum entanglement is a physical phenomenon
that occurs when pairs or groups of particles are
generated or interact in ways such that the quantum
state of each particle cannot be described
independently — instead, a quantum state may be
given for the system as a whole. Quantum
entanglement refers to the non-classic and non-
local strong correlations among quantum systems.
Theoretically the special relation between two
entangled states remains no matter how far the
distance separated. When one of them is
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SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering (SSRG-IJECE) – Volume 3 Issue 8 – August 2016

manipulated, measured for example, and the other

will immediately change to the corresponding state.
Measurements of physical properties such as
position, momentum, spin, polarization, etc.
performed on entangled particles are found to be
appropriately correlated. For example, if a pair of
particles is generated in such a way that their total
spin is known to be zero, and one particle is found
to have clockwise spin on a certain axis, then the
spin of the other particle, measured on the same
axis, will be found to be counter clockwise;
because of the nature of quantum measurement.
However, this behaviour gives rise to paradoxical
effects: any measurement of a property of a particle
can be seen as acting on that particle (e.g. by
collapsing a number of superposed states); and in
Figure 2: Diagram of an embodiment of quantum
the case of entangled particles, such action must be
radar system
on the entangled system as a whole. It thus appears
The receiver contains a signal processor, a signal
that one particle of an entangled pair "knows" what
quality processor and a detector. The detector
measurement has been performed on the other, and
receives the return photons and separates them
with what outcome, even though there is no known
according to different quantum states in order to
means for such information to be communicated
extract the different information from them.
between the particles, which at the time of
The signals produced by the separated photons are
measurement may be separated by arbitrarily large
input into the signal quality processor to decrease
distances.
the noise. And then the filtered signal will be input
into the signal processor to obtain the final
III. EMBODIMENT OF QUANTUM
information of the target. Interacting with the
RADAR SYSTEM
transmitter and the receiver, the controller system
Quantum radar signal consists of photons which
governs the whole system. The positioning system
can be entangled or not entangled. It is shown that
adjusts the antenna to the interested direction, and
the resolution of quantum radar systems using
the duplexer is to switch the antenna between
entangled photons is higher the one of non-
transmitting and receiving the photons.
entangled quantum radar [5]. So we should pay
It’s important to say that quantum radar is not a
more attention to the entangled-photons quantum
mature technology, and it exists theoretically until
radar which transmits one half of entangled
now. The core parts of the radar system are still in
photons towards the target and keeps the other half
research. It is reasonable to believe that quantum
in the receiver. The information of targets will be
radar is practical with the development of
acquired through the correlation between the
technology.
photons reflected back and the photons kept in the
receiver [3, 4] Fig.2 shows a diagram of an existed
IV.TYPES OF QUANTUM RADAR
embodiment of quantum radar [6]. The radar
Quantum radar can be classified into various types
system includes transmitter, receiver and controller
which are described as follows:
system. The transmitter consists of a wave
generator and a down-converter. The generator
A. Single- Photon Quantum Radar
generates entangled photons. Many methods have
A single-photon quantum radar (in Fig. 3) works
been proposed to generate entangled photons such
like the traditional X-band radar. Its transmitter
as in [7]. The generated entangled photons with
generates signal pulses contain single photon (by
existed methods are not in the microwave regime
single it means in average way) and sends pulses
so that they are not suitable for propagation in
towards a target. And its receiver tries to get the
atmosphere. We need a down-converter to
reflected photons and performs photon counting
transform these photons to microwave photons.
detection. Strictly single-photon quantum radar is
not a proper quantum radar exploiting quantum

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SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering (SSRG-IJECE) – Volume 3 Issue 8 – August 2016
phenomenon. But there is an unexpected advantage
of single-photon quantum radar that the radar cross
section is larger when low photon number pulses
are used for target detection [3]. That is to say the
target appears to look bigger when use single
photon pulses than use classical light beams.
Figure 3: Single-Photon quantum Radar
B. Interferometric Quantum Radar
In interferometric quantum radar [3], as shown in
Fig. 4, an entangled pair of photons is generated.
One of these is sent towards the target and the
other one is kept inside of the radar receiver. The
photon sent out is reflected back very soon and
received by the radar. Then the correlations
embedded in the entangled states are exploited to
increase detection performance.
V.
Figure 4: Interferometric Quantum Radar
An interferometric quantum radar makes phase
measurement by interferometers like Mach-Zender
interferometers (see Fig. 5). In this interferometer,
ISSN: 2348 – 8549 www.internationaljournalssrg.org
the light from the light source at the input is split
into two beams, which after reflection from two
different mirrors reach the output detector/screen.
By measuring the phase difference between the two
beams at the output, the distance of the target can
be determined.
Figure 5: Mach-Zender Interferometer
C. Quantum Illumination Radar
Quantum illumination [5, 8] is the most promising
technology that can improve the radar performance
greatly [9, 10]. In 2008, Seth Lloyd provided
quantum illumination and proved the validity. In
quantum illumination scheme, there is a local state
stored at the receiver that is entangled with the
transmitted state. The collective measurement of
quantum illumination works well in environment
with high noise and loss.
The setup of Quantum illumination radar is similar
to the case of interferometric quantum radar
discussed above, but it has a different detection
strategy. In the case of quantum illumination, one
does not perform phase measurements, but simple
photon detection counts are enough. Assume a
target that is illuminated by a quantum illumination
device. The goal is to detect the presence of the
target even in a noisy and lossy environment. And
again entanglement increases the sensitivity of the
detection system but in a different way.
DEVELOPMENT STATE OF QUANTUM
RADAR
The idea of using quantum detection method to
improve the sensitivity of target detection emerged
very early. As early as 1991 the U.S. navy
proposed a patent exploit quantum detector to
improve the sensitivity of traditional radars [11]. In
the year of 1991, quantum key distribution protocol
of E91 suggested exploiting the quantum entangled
states as signal sources.
Then quantum entanglement, as a kind of magical
natural resources, began to draw the wide attention
of scientists. The extensive study and use of
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SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering (SSRG-IJECE) – Volume 3 Issue 8 – August 2016

quantum entanglements for the last 20 years has [5] S. Lloyd, ―Enhanced Sensitivity of Photodetection via
Quantum Illumination‖, Science, Vol.321, Issue 5895,
leaded a revolutionary change of information
2008
science. Couple of years later, quantum [6] E.H. Allen and M. Karageorgis, ―Radar Systems and
entanglement was suggested be used to break Methods Using Entangled Quantum Particles‖, US Patent
through the standard quantum limits of 7375802, 2008
[7] C. Emary, B.Trauzettel, and C.W.J. Beenakker,
measurement and reach the super sensitivity
―Entangled Microwave Photons From Quantum Dots‖,
measurement level [2], [12]. And quantum Phys. Rev. Lett. 95,127401, 2005
entanglement was also used to increase the
resolution of the imaging [5]. The Biggest [8] Lopaeva, I. R. Berchera, I. Degiovanni, S. Olivares, G.
Brida, and M. Genovese, "Experimental realization of
advantage of this quantum radar assumption is that
quantum illumination," Physical Review Letters, vol. 110,
it solves the contradiction lies in traditional radars p. 153603, 2013.
between resolution and detection range, and makes [9] S.-H. Tan, B. I. Erkmen, V. Giovannetti, S. Guha, S.
radar systems able of seeing clearly and far Lloyd, L. Maccone, et al., "Quantum illumination with
Gaussian states," Physical review letters, vol. 101, p.
simultaneously.
253601, 2008.
In 2008, Seth Lloyd came up with the strategy of [10] S. Guha, "Receiver design to harness quantum
quantum illumination, which used entangled state illumination advantage," in Information Theory, 2009.
to illuminate object in the distance and obtained a ISIT 2009. IEEE International Symposium on, 2009, pp.
963-967.
substantial enhancement of resolution in the
[11] R. E. Jehel, S. Spring, and D. F. Hudson, et al. ―Impulse
environment with high noise and loss [5]. transmitter and quantum detection radar system,‖ U.S.
Subsequently Tan, Si-Hui clarified the quantum Patent, 5 095 312, May 10, 1992.
illumination with Gaussian states [9]. And then, [12] H. Lee, P. kok, and J. P. Dowling, ―A quantum Rosetta
stone for interferometry,‖ J. Mod. Opt., vol. 49, Feb. 2002,
quantum illumination was realized in experiment
pp. 2325-2338.
by Lopaeva [8]. Shortly after the grant of this U.S. [13] S. Guha, Z. Dutton, ―Systems and methods for quantum
patent in 2008, another type of quantum radar receivers for target detection using a quantum optical
scheme based on quantum illumination was formed radar,‖ U.S. Patent 8 339 581, Dec. 05, 2012.
and sent to the United States Patent Office in 2009
[13].
VI. CONCLUSION
Quantum radar has the potential to enhance the
performance of radar systems theoretically. Even
though the theory behind quantum radar needs to
be improved and the core techniques need to be
achieved, the concept of quantum radar points out
the direction for the development of radar system.
If achieved, the advantages of quantum radar, such
as high sensitivity and high resolution, will
increase the performance of radar systems sharply.
In a word, quantum radar is not in air and it will be
the destination of the development of radar system
in the foreseeable future.

VII. REFERENCES
[1] Tan Hong, Dai Zhiping, ―Key technology research in the
quantum radar‖, Journal of Huazhong Normal University,
vol. 46, No. 3, 2012.
[2] V. Giovannetti, S. Lloyd, and L. Maccone, ―Quantum-
Enhanced Measurements: Beating the Standard Quantum
Limit‖, Science, 306, 2004.
[3] Marco Lanzagorta, Quantum Radar, 1st edition, Morgan &
Claypool Publishers, 2012.
[4] J.F. Smith, ―Quantum entangled radar theory and a
correction method for the effects of the atmosphere on
entanglement‖, Proceedings of the SPIE Quantum
Information and Computation VII conference, 2009.

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