Multi-Antenna Quantum Receiver: A Leap Beyond Angle Estimation Constraints

Beyond communication, wireless signals have been extensively utilized for localization, tracking, and sensing in recent years. The key information extracted for these purposes includes distance and angle. While distance measurement accuracy is mainly limited by signal bandwidth, angle accuracy depends on the number of antennas and phase noise. Conventional approaches typically improve angle estimation by boosting signal strength and increasing the number of antennas. In this paper, we propose employing a quantum receiver to substantially improve angle estimation performance. Rather than amplifying signal strength, the quantum receiver reduces the inherent hardware noise. Furthermore, we exploit the unique properties of a quantum RF receiver to construct a multi-antenna quantum system. Using only two physical quantum antennas, we generate virtual antennas by leveraging the receiver’s broad frequency range, effectively increasing the number of antennas and significantly improving angle measurement performance. Our experimental results demonstrate that, with only two quantum antennas, we achieve angle estimation performance surpassing that of a conventional RF receiver equipped with 40 antennas. Furthermore, quantum antennas are not constrained by the coupling effects that typically limit the spacing between conventional RF antennas, allowing for much closer placement. This represents a significant step toward reducing the size of antenna arrays while preserving localization and tracking performance.