Approaching the quantum limit of precision in absorbance estimation using classical resources

The utility of transmission measurement has made it a target for quantum enhanced measurement strategies. Here we find if the length of an absorbing object is a controllable variable, then, via the Beer-Lambert law, classical strategies can be optimized to reach within 83% of the absolute quantum limit in precision. Our analysis includes experimental losses, detector noise, and input states with arbitrary photon statistics. We derive optimal operating conditions for both classical and quantum sources, and observe experimental agreement with theory using Fock and thermal states.