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arXiv:1705.02489 · Physical Review A

Spectral properties of single photons from quantum emitters

Philipp Müller, Tristan Bernhard Horst Tentrup, Marc Bienert, Giovanna Morigi, Jürgen Eschner

Published Aug 29, 2017• 18 citations
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Abstract

Quantum networks require flying qubits that transfer information between the nodes. This may be implemented by means of single atoms (the nodes) that emit and absorb single photons (the flying qubits) and requires full control of photon absorption and emission by the individual emitters. In this paper, we theoretically characterize the wave packet of a photon emitted by a single atom undergoing a spontaneous Raman transition in a three-level scheme. We investigate several excitation schemes that are experimentally relevant and discuss control parameters that allow one to tailor the spectrum of the emitted photon wave packet.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.96.023861

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Quantum networks require flying qubits that transfer information between the nodes. This may be implemented by means of single atoms (the nodes) that emit and absorb single photons (the flying qubits) and requires full control of photon absorption and emission by the individual emitters. In this paper, we theoretically characterize the wave packet of a photon emitted by a single atom undergoing a spontaneous Raman transition in a three-level scheme. We investigate several excitation schemes that are experimentally relevant and discuss control parameters that allow one to tailor the spectrum of the emitted photon wave packet.
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A cavity coupling, a charged nanodot, and a fiber can act as a quantum interface, through which a stationary spin qubit and a flying photon qubit can be interconverted via a cavity-assisted Raman process. This Raman process can be made to generate or annihilate an arbitrarily shaped single-photon wave packet by pulse shaping the controlling laser field. This quantum interface forms the basis for many essential functions of a quantum network, including sending, receiving, transferring, swapping, and entangling qubits at distributed quantum nodes as well as a deterministic source and an efficient detector of a single-photon wave packet with arbitrarily specified shape and average photon number. Numerical study of errors from noise and system parameters on the operations shows high fidelity and robust tolerance.
The control of flying qubits is at the core of quantum networks. When the flying qubits are carried by single-photon fields, the control involves not only their logical states but also their shapes. In this paper we explore a variety of flying-qubit control problems using a three-level atom with time-varying tunable couplings to two input-output channels. It is shown that one can tune the couplings of a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$-type atom to distribute a single photon into the two channels with arbitrary shapes, or use a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$-type atom or a VVV-type atom to catch an arbitrary-shape distributed single photon. The $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$-type atom can also be designed to transfer a flying qubit from one channel to the other, with both the central frequency and the photon shape being converted. With a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Xi}}$-type atom, one can shape a pair of correlated photons via cascaded emission. In all cases, analytical formulas are derived for the coupling functions to fulfill these control tasks. Their correlation properties and physical limitations are discussed as well. These results provide useful control protocols for high-fidelity quantum information transmission over complex quantum networks.
The emission and absorption of single photons by single atomic particles is a fundamental limit of light-matter interaction. As a controlled process, it is a tool for quantum optical information technology. A key task in quantum networks is to establish entanglement between distant atomic qubits that serve as nodes. Until now this has only been experimentally demonstrated [1] through an approach that uses a projective measurement of the photons emitted by the two distant atoms, to entangle them. Another strategy is to generate entangled photon pairs by spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), and make them interact with the distant atoms, transferring the entanglement from photon to atomic qubits [2,3]. We have recently demonstrated for the first time the heralded absorption of a single down-conversion photon by a single40Ca+ion [4]. Here we show that besides the time and frequency correlation that the photon pairs share, also their polarization entanglement is preserved during the absorption of one of the photons by a single atom.
The long-standing goal of deterministically controlling a single photon using another was recently realized in various experimental settings. Among these, a particularly attractive demonstration relied on deterministic one-photon Raman interaction in a three-level Lambda system coupled to a single-mode waveguide. Beyond the ability to control the direction of propagation of one photon by the direction of another photon, this scheme can also perform as a passive quantum memory and a universal quantum gate. Relying on interference, this all-optical, coherent scheme requires no additional control fields, and can therefore form the basis for scalable quantum networks composed of passive quantum nodes that interact with each other only with single photon pulses. Here we present an analytical and numerical study of deterministic one-photon Raman interaction, and characterise its limitations and the parameters for optimal operation. Specifically, we study the effect of losses and the presence of multiple excited states. In both cases we discuss strategies for restoring the high fidelity of the device's operation.