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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Demonstration of an Atomic Frequency Comb Quantum Memory Using Velocity-Selective Pumping in Warm Alkali Vapour

T. M. Hird, D. Main, Shaobo Gao, E. Oguz, D. J. Saunders, Ian A. Walmsley, Patrick M. Ledingham

Published Jan 1, 2020• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present the first demonstration of velocity-selective pumping in an atomic vapour to preserve light-matter coherence. Control is illustrated by a subsequent demonstration of an atomic frequency comb quantum memory realised in the vapour.
DOI
10.1364/cleo_qels.2020.fw4c.5

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We demonstrate coherent storage and retrieval of pulsed light using the atomic frequency comb protocol in a room temperature alkali vapor. We utilize velocity-selective optical pumping to prepare multiple velocity classes in the F = 4 hyperfine ground state of cesium. The frequency spacing of the classes is chosen to coincide with the F ′ = 4 − F ′ = 5 hyperfine splitting of the 6 2 P 3 / 2 excited state, resulting in a broadband periodic absorbing structure consisting of two usually Doppler-broadened optical transitions. Weak coherent states of duration 2 n s are mapped into this atomic frequency comb with pre-programmed recall times of 8 n s and 12 n s , with multi-temporal mode storage and recall demonstrated. Utilizing two transitions in the comb leads to an additional interference effect upon rephasing that enhances the recall efficiency.
We have demonstrated the coherent storage and retrieval of single-photon-level light using the atomic frequency comb protocol in a room temperature rubidium vapor. Velocity-selective optical pumping is used to prepare the comb within the F = 2 hyperfine ground state of rubidium, with the spacing between peaks coinciding with half the F = 2 − F = 3 hyperfine splitting of the 5 P 3 / 2 2 excited state. Weak coherent states of average photon number μ in = 0.083 ( 5 ) are stored with preprogrammed recall time of 7.5 ns with an efficiency of η AFC = 6.59 ( 5 ) % , while two temporally distinct modes have been stored and recalled with η AFC = 2.6 ( 1 ) % , allowing for time-bin qubit storage. Finally, the storage efficiency is observed to be independent of the input pulse polarization, satisfying a necessary condition for polarization qubit storage.
In this paper, we propose a method to create an atomic frequency comb (AFC) in hot atomic vapors using the piecewise adiabatic passage (PAP) technique. Due to the Doppler effect, the trains of pulses used for PAP give rise to a velocity-dependent transfer of the atomic population from the initial state to the target one, thus forming a velocity comb whose periodicity depends not only on the repetition rate of the applied pulses but also on the specific atomic transitions considered. We highlight the advantages of using this transfer technique with respect to standard methods and discuss, in particular, its application to store a single telecom photon in an AFC quantum memory using a high density Ba atomic vapor.
By harnessing aspects of quantum mechanics, communication and information processing could be radically transformed. Promising forms of quantum information technology include optical quantum cryptographic systems and computing using photons for quantum logic operations. As with current information processing systems, some form of memory will be required. Quantum repeaters, which are required for long distance quantum key distribution, require quantum optical memory as do deterministic logic gates for optical quantum computing. Here, we present results from a coherent optical memory based on warm rubidium vapour and show 87% efficient recall of light pulses, the highest efficiency measured to date for any coherent optical memory suitable for quantum information applications. We also show storage and recall of up to 20 pulses from our system. These results show that simple warm atomic vapour systems have clear potential as a platform for quantum memory. Efficient memory systems are vital for the development of quantum communications technologies. Hosseini and colleagues describe an optical memory based on warm rubidium vapour that achieves 87% pulse recall efficiency, illustrating the potential of warm atomic vapour systems for quantum memory.