In all papers that I read about quantum radar and/or quantum illumination it is said that 2 entangled photons are generated. One of the photons goes out of the system toward some "target". The other one (known as the ancilla or idler photon) is kept in the system. As long as the outer photons did not reach the target, the two photons are entangled and they are in superposition states. As the outer photon reaches the target, there is a collapse of the state of both photons. My question is how is the idler photon kept in the system?

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