Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:0812.4053 · Physical Review Letters

Memory for Light as a Quantum Process

Mirko Lobino, Connor Kupchak, Eden V. Figueroa, Alexander I. Lvovsky

Published May 19, 2009• 64 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We report complete characterization of an optical memory based on electromagnetically induced transparency. We recover the superoperator associated with the memory, under two different working conditions, by means of a quantum process tomography technique that involves storage of coherent states and their characterization upon retrieval. In this way, we can predict the quantum state retrieved from the memory for any input, for example, the squeezed vacuum or the Fock state. We employ the acquired superoperator to verify the nonclassicality benchmark for the storage of a Gaussian distributed set of coherent states.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.102.203601

Related papers

Complete Characterization of Quantum Optical Processes with a Focus on Quantum Memory

Connor Kupchak

This thesis introduces and implements a characterization procedure called coherent state quantum process tomography and applies it to a selection of quantum operations. The procedure holds advantages over previous quantum process tomography methods, a pri- mary one is that a process can be characterized by measuring its effect on a set of coherent states which are readily available from a laser source. After introduction of the characterization procedure, the method is tested on a simple process of an electro-optical modulator and polarizing beam splitter. The accuracy of the characterization is verified by comparison of the predicted action of the reconstructed process tensor versus the actual experiment involving a squeezed vacuum state. The algorithm is then implemented and verified on a quantum memory system based on electromagnetically induced transparency, a system that was previously shown capable of storing a squeezed vacuum state. Lastly, a new optical storage system based on a gradient echo memory scheme is con- structed and optimized to achieve memory retrieval efficiencies of >80%. To characterize this system, a modified coherent state quantum process tomography algorithm based on the method of maximum likelihood estimation is employed. Despite the high efficiency values, the presence of excess noise resulted in the degradation of the storage device per- formance to be below the benchmarks of a quantum memory system. This estimation algorithm is also successfully implemented on the non-deterministic processes of photon creation and annihilation.

•Jan 1, 2013•1 citation

Quantum-optical process tomography using coherent states

Mirko Lobino, Saleh Rahimi-Keshari, Dmitry Korystov +7 more

We review the method for characterizing, with arbitrarily high accuracy, any quantum optical process, which our group has developed over the past few years. Our protocol recovers complete knowledge of the process by studying, via homodyne tomography, its effect on a set of coherent states, that is, classical fields produced by common laser sources. We present a simple scheme for calculating the process matrix from this information. We demonstrate the capability of our protocol by demonstrating complete characterization of an optical memory based on electromagnetically induced transparency.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2011•0 citations

Scheme for coherent-state quantum process tomography via normally-ordered moments

Masoud Ghalaii, A. T. Rezakhani

Using coherent states in optical quantum process tomography is a practically relevant approach. Here we develop a framework for complete characterization of quantum-optical processes in terms of normally-ordered moments by using coherent states as probes. We derive the associated superoperator tensors for several optical processes. We also show that our technique can be used to determine nonclassicality features of quantum-optical states and processes. Furthermore, we investigate identification of multimode Gaussian processes and show that the number of necessary probe coherent states scales linearly with the number of modes.

arXiv:1704.02858•Physical Review A•Mar 30, 2017•8 citations

Quantum Memory

Mikio Kozuma

Quantum entanglement plays a central role for implementing quantum information processing. Deterministic control of quantum entanglement has been realized using a squeezed vacuum state. However, since photons are hard to localize, coherent transfer of quantum squeezing between information carrying photons and spatially localized atoms has long been desired. This coherent transfer is equivalent to the storage and retrieval of quantum entanglement and is one of the most important building blocks for implementing the intricate tasks of quantum information processing. Here, for the first time, we successfully demonstrate the storage and retrieval of a squeezed vacuum state with electromagnetically induced transparency using a cold ensemble of Rb atoms as a memory medium.

The Review of Laser Engineering•Jan 1, 2008•0 citations

Toward nonclassical light storage via atomic-vapor Raman scattering

Caspar H. van der Wal, Matthew D. Eisaman, Alexander S. Zibrov +4 more

We present experimental work that investigates whether quantum information carried by light can be stored via reversible mapping of the quantum state of such light onto a collective atomic coherence. Such a quantum memory could be utilized to allow quantum communication over long, lossy channels. Current efforts concentrate on writing a photon-number-squeezed state of light onto a collective coherence between the ground-state hyperfine levels of 87Rb atoms in a warm vapor cell, and subsequent on-demand retrieval of this light. In this approach, intensity squeezing between the written and retrieved photon fields provides evidence for storage of a photon-number-squeezed state of light. The scheme is based on spontaneous Raman transitions that create the atomic coherence, and at the same time convert control fields into signal fields that propagate under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency. We present experimental results demonstrating the storage and retrieval of light using this method, and discuss techniques for measuring intensity squeezing between these photon fields.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•May 9, 2003•1 citation

Coherent-State Quantum Process Tomography

Mirko Lobino, Dmitry Korystov, Connor Kupchak +4 more

The technologies of quantum information and quantum control are rapidly improving, but full exploitation of their capabilities requires complete characterization and assessment of processes that occur within quantum devices. We present a method for characterizing, with arbitrarily high accuracy, any quantum optical process. Our protocol recovers complete knowledge of the process by studying, via homodyne tomography, its effect on a set of coherent states, i.e. classical fields produced by common laser sources. We demonstrate the capability of our protocol by evaluating and experimentally verifying the effect of a test process on squeezed vacuum.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2009•0 citations
We report complete characterization of an optical memory based on electromagnetically induced transparency. We recover the superoperator associated with the memory, under two different working conditions, by means of a quantum process tomography technique that involves storage of coherent states and their characterization upon retrieval. In this way, we can predict the quantum state retrieved from the memory for any input, for example, the squeezed vacuum or the Fock state. We employ the acquired superoperator to verify the nonclassicality benchmark for the storage of a Gaussian distributed set of coherent states.
This thesis introduces and implements a characterization procedure called coherent state quantum process tomography and applies it to a selection of quantum operations. The procedure holds advantages over previous quantum process tomography methods, a pri- mary one is that a process can be characterized by measuring its effect on a set of coherent states which are readily available from a laser source. After introduction of the characterization procedure, the method is tested on a simple process of an electro-optical modulator and polarizing beam splitter. The accuracy of the characterization is verified by comparison of the predicted action of the reconstructed process tensor versus the actual experiment involving a squeezed vacuum state. The algorithm is then implemented and verified on a quantum memory system based on electromagnetically induced transparency, a system that was previously shown capable of storing a squeezed vacuum state. Lastly, a new optical storage system based on a gradient echo memory scheme is con- structed and optimized to achieve memory retrieval efficiencies of >80%. To characterize this system, a modified coherent state quantum process tomography algorithm based on the method of maximum likelihood estimation is employed. Despite the high efficiency values, the presence of excess noise resulted in the degradation of the storage device per- formance to be below the benchmarks of a quantum memory system. This estimation algorithm is also successfully implemented on the non-deterministic processes of photon creation and annihilation.
We review the method for characterizing, with arbitrarily high accuracy, any quantum optical process, which our group has developed over the past few years. Our protocol recovers complete knowledge of the process by studying, via homodyne tomography, its effect on a set of coherent states, that is, classical fields produced by common laser sources. We present a simple scheme for calculating the process matrix from this information. We demonstrate the capability of our protocol by demonstrating complete characterization of an optical memory based on electromagnetically induced transparency.
Using coherent states in optical quantum process tomography is a practically relevant approach. Here we develop a framework for complete characterization of quantum-optical processes in terms of normally-ordered moments by using coherent states as probes. We derive the associated superoperator tensors for several optical processes. We also show that our technique can be used to determine nonclassicality features of quantum-optical states and processes. Furthermore, we investigate identification of multimode Gaussian processes and show that the number of necessary probe coherent states scales linearly with the number of modes.
Quantum entanglement plays a central role for implementing quantum information processing. Deterministic control of quantum entanglement has been realized using a squeezed vacuum state. However, since photons are hard to localize, coherent transfer of quantum squeezing between information carrying photons and spatially localized atoms has long been desired. This coherent transfer is equivalent to the storage and retrieval of quantum entanglement and is one of the most important building blocks for implementing the intricate tasks of quantum information processing. Here, for the first time, we successfully demonstrate the storage and retrieval of a squeezed vacuum state with electromagnetically induced transparency using a cold ensemble of Rb atoms as a memory medium.
We present experimental work that investigates whether quantum information carried by light can be stored via reversible mapping of the quantum state of such light onto a collective atomic coherence. Such a quantum memory could be utilized to allow quantum communication over long, lossy channels. Current efforts concentrate on writing a photon-number-squeezed state of light onto a collective coherence between the ground-state hyperfine levels of 87Rb atoms in a warm vapor cell, and subsequent on-demand retrieval of this light. In this approach, intensity squeezing between the written and retrieved photon fields provides evidence for storage of a photon-number-squeezed state of light. The scheme is based on spontaneous Raman transitions that create the atomic coherence, and at the same time convert control fields into signal fields that propagate under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency. We present experimental results demonstrating the storage and retrieval of light using this method, and discuss techniques for measuring intensity squeezing between these photon fields.
The technologies of quantum information and quantum control are rapidly improving, but full exploitation of their capabilities requires complete characterization and assessment of processes that occur within quantum devices. We present a method for characterizing, with arbitrarily high accuracy, any quantum optical process. Our protocol recovers complete knowledge of the process by studying, via homodyne tomography, its effect on a set of coherent states, i.e. classical fields produced by common laser sources. We demonstrate the capability of our protocol by evaluating and experimentally verifying the effect of a test process on squeezed vacuum.