February 13 seminar: Francisco Riberi

February 13, 2026

A geometric approach to quantum metrology

Francisco Riberi, University of New Mexico

3:00 pm, UNM Centennial Engineering Center, Room 1026
Online Guests: Contact Prof. Santhanam <bsanthan@unm.edu> for a Zoom link

Abstract: Quantum metrology uses atoms or ions as sensing probes to estimate a physical parameter accurately and precisely. Operating at the nanoscale allows for an unprecedented level of spatial resolution. Furthermore, as the microscopic dynamics are ruled by the laws of quantum mechanics, it opens the possibility of exploring non-classical effects (such as entanglement between the sensors) to improve the performance beyond any classical strategy. The techniques have found application in magnetometry, thermometry, biology and even gravitational wave detection.

A main obstacle hindering operation is that the quantum probes sensitivity makes them not only receptive to the signal, but also to external disturbances. Noise tends to interfere with the sensing process by progressively destroying the system coherences. This fragility may compromise the advantage one could harness from exploiting the full power of quantum mechanics in the absence of fluctuations.

In this talk, I will introduce some of the tools used by physicists to analyze this type of systems, most notably the quantum Fisher information (QFI), and an alternative description of quantum mechanics using phase-space variables that closely resembles the formal scaffold of classical physics. I will provide intuition on how to visualize some of the most popular quantum states used for sensing, the effects of noise, and the QFI in this phase space . Drawing from this intuition, I will show how some noise can be fully overcome by a clever design of the input state and measurement strategy.

Bio: Dr. Francisco Riberi obtained his PhD in Physics from Dartmouth college in August 2025. His graduate research focused on studying the performance of atomic quantum sensors under realistic noisy settings, and devising strategies to boost their precision. He joined the Marvian research group at UNM as a postdoctoral associate in September 2025. His current research interests include quantum optimal control, quantum parameter estimation, and quantum information science.