Optical Information Processing with Ultraslow Light in Bose-Einstein Condensates

玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚中的超慢光光学信息处理

• 批准号: 0757427
• 负责人: Lene Hau
• 金额: $ 52.07万
• 依托单位: Harvard University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-07-01 至 2011-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0757427&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Optical; Information; Processing; Ultraslow; Light

Ultraslow light propagation in Bose?Einstein condensates (BECs) represents an extreme example of resonant light manipulation with cold atoms. The PI and her group have observed that a light pulse slowed, stopped, and extinguished in one BEC can be revived from a different condensate, 160 microns away. Building on these new capabilities, the existing apparatus will be modified to facilitate demonstration of novel schemes for processing of optical information with trapped BECs. Specifically, the setup will form the basis for creation of one-bit and two-bit-conditional phase gates which are fundamental building blocks in quantum and optical computation schemes.The slow and stopped light techniques developed by the PI offer a unique capability to transform information encoded in light to matter form, and once in matter form the information is easily manipulated. The research represents a new paradigm in optical quantum control and could have major importance for quantum information processing that can be utilized for example for secure encryption. The research has also spurred the interest and imagination of many and is getting wide exposure in media and at events that target very diverse audiences. Such exposure is important for attracting young people into the sciences, and for stimulating the development of practical applications.

超弱光在玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体(BEC)中的传输代表了冷原子共振光操控的一个极端例子。PI和她的团队已经观察到，在一个BEC中减慢、停止和熄灭的光脉冲可以从160微米外的不同凝聚体中复苏。在这些新能力的基础上，将对现有设备进行改进，以便于演示利用捕获的BEC处理光学信息的新方案。具体地说，这一设置将形成创建一位和两位条件相位门的基础，这是量子和光学计算方案中的基本构建块。PI开发的慢光和停止光技术提供了一种独特的能力，将以光编码的信息转换为物质形式，一旦形成物质形式，信息就很容易被处理。这项研究代表了光学量子控制的一种新范式，可能对量子信息处理具有重大意义，例如可以用于安全加密。这项研究还激发了许多人的兴趣和想象力，并在媒体和针对非常不同受众的活动中获得了广泛的曝光率。这种接触对于吸引年轻人进入科学领域和刺激实际应用的发展是重要的。