Stroboscopic Saturation of Multiparameter Quantum Limits in Distributed Quantum Sensing

Abstract

High-precision sensors that exploit uniquely quantum phenomena have been shown to surpass the standard quantum limit of measurement precision. However, in the general scenario where multiple parameters are simultaneously encoded in a quantum probe, while surpassing the standard quantum limit is possible, its practical attainability is severely hindered. This difficulty arises due to the fundamental incompatibility among the optimal measurements required for estimating different parameters. A naturally multiparameter sensing scenario emerges when a network of quantum sensors is spatially distributed, with each individual sensor probing a distinct parameter of interest. The central goal in such a setting is twofold: first, to surpass the standard quantum limit in estimating global properties of the system -- thereby achieving quantum-enhanced sensitivity for a given network size -- and second, to explicitly identify the optimal measurement strategies necessary to practically attain this quantum advantage. Here, we analytically demonstrate quantum-enhanced sensitivity for a broad class of distributed quantum probes, including cases where the precision scales quadratically or quartically with the sensing resources. We construct the corresponding optimal measurement strategies that achieve the ultimate precision limits -- namely, saturation of both the Holevo and quantum Cramér-Rao bounds. We then apply our framework to two concrete scenarios: the simultaneous estimation of multiple gravitational accelerations (gravimetry) and coupling strengths across spatially separated locations. Feasibility analyses indicate that the proposed distributed quantum-enhanced sensing schemes are within reach of current experimental capabilities.