Ultimate Sensitivity in X-ray Diffraction: Angular Moments vs. Shot Noise

Peter Modregger; Felix Wittwer; Ahmar Khaliq; Niklas Pyrlik; James A. D. Ball; Jan Garrevoet; Gerald Falkenberg; Alexander Liehr; Michael Stuckelberger

arXiv · 2502.17977

Ultimate Sensitivity in X-ray Diffraction: Angular Moments vs. Shot Noise

Peter Modregger·Felix Wittwer·Ahmar Khaliq·Niklas Pyrlik·James A. D. Ball·Jan Garrevoet·Gerald Falkenberg·Alexander Liehr·Michael Stuckelberger

View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The sensitivity of x-ray diffraction experiments towards Bragg peak parameters constitutes a crucial performance attribute of experimental setups. Frequently, diffraction peaks are characterized by model-free angular moment analysis, which offers a greater versatility compared to traditional model-based peak fitting. Here, we have determined the ultimate sensitivity of angular moments for diffraction data that is limited by photon shot noise. We report experimentally achieved sensitivities of the first moment below $1/1000$th of a detector pixel and below $1μ$rad. We have demonstrated the validity of our theoretical predictions by an excellent agreement with experimental results from three different setups. The provided formulas for the uncertainties of angular moments allow for the rapid determination of experimentally achieved sensitivities from single diffraction frames.

Explore related subjects

physics.optics physics.data-an

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Peter Modregger, Felix Wittwer, Ahmar Khaliq, Niklas Pyrlik, James A. D. Ball, Jan Garrevoet, Gerald Falkenberg, Alexander Liehr, Michael Stuckelberger. 2025-02-27. Ultimate Sensitivity in X-ray Diffraction: Angular Moments vs. Shot Noise. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.17977

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Mid-infrared reconfiguration of population flow in lanthanide nanocrystals

Converting mid-infrared (MIR) radiation to visible or near-infrared wavelengths is essential for imaging and sensing, yet achieving sensitive, low-power, and scalable detection remains challenging. Lanthanide nanocrystals provide an alternative through ratiometric luminescence but are typically constrained by Boltzmann statistics, which tie population distributions to lattice temperature and limit signal contrast. Here we show that MIR irradiation rebalances dissipative relaxation pathways, driving lanthanide emitters into a non-Boltzmann steady state that enables non-thermal control of population distributions. This allows emission behaviors inaccessible under thermal equilibrium. We exploit this regime to achieve linear MIR detection with respect to MIR power across 6.8 to 8.6 micrometers. The ratiometric response is intrinsically independent of the pump power, enabling operation at an ultralow excitation power of 10 uW, several orders of magnitude lower than conventional approaches. Using standard silicon photodetectors, we then demonstrate room-temperature MIR imaging with detection limits approaching 4 nW um-2. Our results establish lanthanide nanoparticles as an efficient platform for MIR conversion and sensing in nanophotonic systems.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Metasurface-integrated VCSEL designed for polarization control in optical Ising machines

The orthogonal polarization states of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) can be used to describe candidate solutions to the Ising Hamiltonian, which is useful for solving quadratic unconstrained binary optimization problems. However, the natural anisotropy of VCSELs tends to overly favor one polarization state, which impedes the system from working as desired. In this work, we have designed and fabricated a metasurface, which may lead to a VCSEL with reduced undesired anisotropy. By changing the geometric size of nano-structures in the metasurface, the polarization state of the output light can be altered. Based on the injection-locking theory and spin-flip model, we numerically show that VCSELs with lowered anisotropy are more easily affected by the injection locking needed in Ising systems. Additionally, we numerically study the evolution of a 3-bit VCSEL-based Ising system and verify that the computational accuracy of the photonic Ising machine can be improved to more than twice that of its counterpart with higher anisotropy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Topological Optical Frequency Combs

Optical frequency combs (OFCs) are revolutionary light sources characterized by discrete and equally spaced spectral lines, and they have found widespread applications in metrology, spectroscopy, and communications. In the early stages, OFCs were realized using mode-locked lasers. With advancements in the fabrication of high-quality factor ($Q$) microresonators and the increasing demand for miniaturized and integrable photonic chips, microresonator-based OFCs, commonly referred to as microcombs, have been developed. Although early studies of microcombs primarily focused on single microresonators or a few resonators, a significant breakthrough occurred in 2021 when it was theoretically predicted that light propagating in the topological edge channel of an array of ring resonators could generate nested frequency combs known as topological OFCs. Since then, the field of topological OFCs has progressed rapidly, with experimental observations made in 2024. This Perspective will introduce the history of OFCs, placing particular emphasis on the emergence and development of topological OFCs, as well as exploring the research challenges and opportunities associated with them.

physics.optics↗