Scalable photonic network architecture based on motional averaging in room temperature gas

TY - JOUR

T1 - Scalable photonic network architecture based on motional averaging in room temperature gas

AU - Borregaard, Johannes

AU - Zugenmaier, Michael Viktor Alban

AU - Petersen, Jonas Meyer

AU - Shen, Heng

AU - Vasilakis, Georgios

AU - Jensen, Kasper

AU - Polzik, Eugene Simon

AU - Sørensen, Anders Søndberg

PY - 2016/4/14

Y1 - 2016/4/14

N2 - Quantum interfaces between photons and atomic ensembles have emerged as powerful tools for quantum technologies. Efficient storage and retrieval of single photons requires long-lived collective atomic states, which is typically achieved with immobilized atoms. Thermal atomic vapours, which present a simple and scalable resource, have only been used for continuous variable processing or for discrete variable processing on short timescales where atomic motion is negligible. Here we develop a theory based on motional averaging to enable room temperature discrete variable quantum memories and coherent single-photon sources. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach to scalable quantum memories with a proof-of-principle experiment with room temperature atoms contained in microcells with spin-protecting coating, placed inside an optical cavity. The experimental conditions correspond to a few photons per pulse and a long coherence time of the forward scattered photons is demonstrated, which is the essential feature of the motional averaging.

AB - Quantum interfaces between photons and atomic ensembles have emerged as powerful tools for quantum technologies. Efficient storage and retrieval of single photons requires long-lived collective atomic states, which is typically achieved with immobilized atoms. Thermal atomic vapours, which present a simple and scalable resource, have only been used for continuous variable processing or for discrete variable processing on short timescales where atomic motion is negligible. Here we develop a theory based on motional averaging to enable room temperature discrete variable quantum memories and coherent single-photon sources. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach to scalable quantum memories with a proof-of-principle experiment with room temperature atoms contained in microcells with spin-protecting coating, placed inside an optical cavity. The experimental conditions correspond to a few photons per pulse and a long coherence time of the forward scattered photons is demonstrated, which is the essential feature of the motional averaging.

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms11356

DO - 10.1038/ncomms11356

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27076381

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 11356

ER -