Quantum Cramer-Rao Precision Limit of Noisy Continuous Sensing

Abstract: Quantum sensors hold considerable promise for precision measurement, yet their capabilities are inherently constrained by environmental noise. A fundamental task in quantum sensing is determining the precision limits of noisy sensor devices. For continuously monitored quantum sensors, characterizing the optimal precision in the presence of environments other than the measurement channel is an outstanding open theoretical challenge, due to the infinite-dimensional nature of the sensor output field and the complex temporal correlation of the photons therein. Here, we establish a numerically efficient method to determine the quantum Cramer-Rao bound (QCRB) for continuously monitored quantum sensors subject to general environmental noise -- Markovian or non-Markovian, and showcase its application with paradigmatic models of continuously monitored quantum sensors. Our method provides a rigorous and practical framework for assessing and enhancing the sensor performance in realistic settings, with broad applications across experimental quantum physics.