A solid-state light-matter interface at the single-photon level
A solid-state light-matter interface at the single-photon level
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DOI：
10.1038/nature07607
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发表时间：
2008-12-11
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Gisin, Nicolas
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
de Riedmatten, Hugues;Afzelius, Mikael;Gisin, Nicolas
光与物质之间量子信息的相干和可逆映射是量子信息科学中的一个重要实验挑战。特别是，它是实现量子网络和量子中继器的基本要求(1-3)。到目前为止，光和原子之间的量子界面已经通过原子气体 (4-9) 和空腔中的单个捕获原子 (10) 得到了证明。在这里，我们演示了每个脉冲少于一个光子的光场到类似于自然捕获在固体中的 10(7) 个原子的集合的相干和可逆映射。这是通过在适当制备的固态原子介质中相干吸收光场来实现的(11)。光的状态被映射到光学跃迁时的集体原子激发上，并存储长达 1μs 的预定时间，然后由于集体干涉而以明确定义的时空模式释放。通过使用两个存储的具有可变相位关系的弱脉冲进行干涉实验来验证该过程的相干性。获得了超过 95% 的可见度，证明了单光子水平上绘图过程的高度相干性。此外，我们通过实验证明，我们的界面可以以多种时间模式存储和检索光场。我们的研究结果为多模固态量子存储器作为原子气体的有希望的替代品开辟了道路。
Coherent and reversible mapping of quantum information between light and matter is an important experimental challenge in quantum information science. In particular, it is an essential requirement for the implementation of quantum networks and quantum repeaters(1-3). So far, quantum interfaces between light and atoms have been demonstrated with atomic gases(4-9), and with single trapped atoms in cavities(10). Here we demonstrate the coherent and reversible mapping of a light field with less than one photon per pulse onto an ensemble of similar to 10(7) atoms naturally trapped in a solid. This is achieved by coherently absorbing the light field in a suitably prepared solid- state atomic medium(11). The state of the light is mapped onto collective atomic excitations at an optical transition and stored for a pre- determined time of up to 1 mu s before being released in a well- defined spatio- temporal mode as a result of a collective interference. The coherence of the process is verified by performing an interference experiment with two stored weak pulses with a variable phase relation. Visibilities of more than 95 per cent are obtained, demonstrating the high coherence of the mapping process at the single- photon level. In addition, we show experimentally that our interface makes it possible to store and retrieve light fields in multiple temporal modes. Our results open the way to multimode solid- state quantum memories as a promising alternative to atomic gases.