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arXiv:1312.5342 · Physical Review A

Raman quantum memory based on an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers coupled to a microcavity

Khabat Heshami, Charles Santori, Behzad Khanaliloo, Chris Healey, Víctor M. Acosta, Paul E. Barclay, Christoph Simon

Published Apr 7, 2014• 33 citations
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Abstract

We propose a scheme to realize optical quantum memories in an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond that are coupled to a microcavity. The scheme is based on off-resonant Raman coupling, which allows one to circumvent optical inhomogeneous broadening and store optical photons in the electronic spin coherence. This approach promises a storage time of order 1 s and a time-bandwidth product of order ${10}^{7}$. We include all possible optical transitions in a nine-level configuration, numerically evaluate the efficiencies, and discuss the requirements for achieving high efficiency and fidelity.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.89.040301

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We propose a scheme to realize optical quantum memories in an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond that are coupled to a microcavity. The scheme is based on off-resonant Raman coupling, which allows one to circumvent optical inhomogeneous broadening and store optical photons in the electronic spin coherence. This approach promises a storage time of order 1 s and a time-bandwidth product of order 107{10}^{7}107. We include all possible optical transitions in a nine-level configuration, numerically evaluate the efficiencies, and discuss the requirements for achieving high efficiency and fidelity.
We propose a multimode quantum memory protocol able to store the quantum state of the field in a microwave resonator into an ensemble of electronic spins. The stored information is protected against inhomogeneous broadening of the spin ensemble by spin-echo techniques resulting in memory times orders of magnitude longer than previously achieved. By calculating the evolution of the first and second moments of the spin-cavity system variables for current experimental parameters, we show that a memory based on nitrogen vacancy center spins in diamond can store a qubit encoded on the |0> and |1> Fock states of the field with 80% fidelity and outperform classical memory strategies for storage times ≤69 μs.
The absorption of broadband photons in atomic ensembles requires either an effective broadening of the atomic transition linewidth, or an off-resonance Raman interaction. Here, we propose a scheme for a quantum memory capable of storing and retrieving ultrafast photons in an ensemble of two-level atoms using a propagation medium with a time–dependent refractive index generated from aligning an ensemble of gas-phase diatomic molecules. The refractive index dynamics generates an effective longitudinal inhomogeneous broadening of the two-level transition. We numerically demonstrate this scheme for storage and retrieval of a weak pulse as short as 50 fs, with a storage time of up to 20 ps. With additional optical control of the molecular alignment dynamics, the storage time can be extended about one nanosecond leading to time–bandwidth products of order 104. This scheme could in principle be achieved using either a hollow-core fibre or a high-pressure gas cell, in a gaseous host medium comprised of diatomic molecules and a two-level atomic vapour at room temperature.
Quantum memories are a key technology enabling arbitrarily-scalable optical quantum information processing architectures via active synchronisation and multiplexing of quantum information. Optically active confined impurities, called colour centres, in a spin-free and highly transparent diamond host material are promising systems to realise such devices in the solid-state, suitable for integration in a scalable guided-wave on-chip photonic platform. In this thesis, the transition from optical Raman quantum memories in atomic vapours to solid-state systems is prepared, exploring two diamond-based systems: On the basis of ensembles of neutrally charged nitrogen vacancy centres, desirable properties and criteria of solid-state systems used for optical quantum memories are developed. These include non-vanishing off-resonant Raman coupling, variable acceptance bandwidth for broadband pulses and cross-linear polarised optical transitions to prevent the generation of noise during the Raman memory protocol, which have been realised experimentally by applying external uniaxial stress to the system. However, attempts to measure the very short orbital ground state lifetime affirmed unfavourable theoretical estimations, rendering this centre unsuitable for memory applications. As a potential alternative, the negatively charged silicon vacancy centre has been investigated, which offers a large ground state splitting with extended life and coherence times and narrow inhomogeneous spectral lines due to its inversion symmetry. In an ensemble of silicon vacancy centres, the ground state lifetime is measured and coherent manipulation via resonant Ramsey interference and Hahn echo is demonstrated. In a second step, off-resonant two-photon transitions are achieved implementing stimulated Raman adiabatic passage between the orbital ground states. Finally, strong light-matter interaction of a weak signal field with the ensemble via phase-sensitive four-wave mixing is shown forming the basis for integrated Raman-based memories and single photon nonlinearities in ensembles of silicon vacancy centres and closely related defects.
Abstract Recently, the possibility of implementing a cavity-enhanced off-resonant Raman quantum memory in an ensemble of silicon-vacancy centers in diamond has been studied (Kalachev et al 2019 Laser Phys. 29 104001). It was shown that the signal-to-noise ratio can significantly exceed unity for short single-photon input pulses if the orbital level splitting in the ground state of the color centers is significantly enhanced by strain. The latter results in decreasing the coherence time between the two available orbital branches of the ground state, though. In the present work, we consider the possibility of increasing the storage time due to the use of nanodiamonds. It is shown that suppression of direct electron-phonon transitions in the diamond nanocrystals makes it possible to increase the coherence time of both orbital and spin qubits by orders of magnitude.
It is proposed that the ground-state manifold of the neutral nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond could be used as a quantum two-level system in a solid-state-based implementation of a broadband noise-free quantum optical memory. The proposal is based on the same-spin $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type three-level system created between the two EEE orbital ground states and the A1{A}_{1}A1​ orbital excited state of the center, and the cross-linear polarization selection rules obtained with the application of a transverse electric field or uniaxial stress. Possible decay and decoherence mechanisms of this system are discussed, and it is shown that high-efficiency, noise-free storage of photons as short as a few tens of picoseconds for at least a few nanoseconds could be possible at low temperature.