Quantum-Optically Enhanced STORM (QUEST) for Multi-Emitter Localization

Super-resolution imaging has introduced new capabilities to investigate processes at the nanometer scale by optical means. However, most super-resolution techniques require either sparse excitation of few emitters or analysis of high-order cumulants in order to identify several emitters in close vicinity. Here, we present an approach that draws upon methods from quantum optics to perform localization super-resolution imaging of densely packed emitters and determine their number automatically: Quantum-optically enhanced STORM (QUEST). By exploiting normalized photon correlations, we predict a localization precision below 30 nm or better even for closely spaced emitter up to a density of 125 emitters per μm at photon emission rates of 10(5) photons per second and emitter. Our technique does not require complex experimental arrangements and relies solely on spatially resolved time streams of photons and subsequent data analysis.