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Advanced Quantum Technologies

Induced Coherence via Spontaneous Four‐Wave Mixing in Atomic Ensembles

Jiho Park, Heonoh Kim, Han Seb Moon

Published Jun 4, 2021• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Induced coherence was first demonstrated three decades ago in a proof‐of‐principle experiment using entangled photons from spontaneous parametric down‐conversion in nonlinear crystals. This phenomenon is considered an interesting instance of complementarity, which lies at the heart of quantum optics. Here, the first demonstration of induced coherence across two coupled interferometers based on spontaneous four‐wave mixing (SFWM) in two independent hot‐atomic‐vapor‐based entangled photon sources is reported. When both the pump and coupling lasers are split and interact with two warm 87 Rb atomic ensembles, single‐photon interference is observed between the two idler photons of the narrowband photon pairs, generated via SFWM from the two cascade‐type atomic systems. Furthermore, it is found that the phase memory effect arises from the phase of the bidirectional counter‐propagating pump and coupling lasers, respectively. This work takes an important step toward the transition to the era of quantum optics being driven by atomic ensembles from solid‐state systems.

DOI
10.1002/qute.202100065

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Abstract Induced coherence was first demonstrated three decades ago in a proof‐of‐principle experiment using entangled photons from spontaneous parametric down‐conversion in nonlinear crystals. This phenomenon is considered an interesting instance of complementarity, which lies at the heart of quantum optics. Here, the first demonstration of induced coherence across two coupled interferometers based on spontaneous four‐wave mixing (SFWM) in two independent hot‐atomic‐vapor‐based entangled photon sources is reported. When both the pump and coupling lasers are split and interact with two warm 87 Rb atomic ensembles, single‐photon interference is observed between the two idler photons of the narrowband photon pairs, generated via SFWM from the two cascade‐type atomic systems. Furthermore, it is found that the phase memory effect arises from the phase of the bidirectional counter‐propagating pump and coupling lasers, respectively. This work takes an important step toward the transition to the era of quantum optics being driven by atomic ensembles from solid‐state systems.
We report a polarization-entangled photon-pair source obtained via spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) in a Doppler-broadened atomic ensemble of ^{87}Rb atoms using a Sagnac interferometer. Collective two-photon coherence occurs in the Doppler-broadened ladder-type atomic system with bidirectional counterpropagating two-photon resonant pump and coupling fields; hence, polarization-entangled photon pairs are collectively radiated in the phase-matched direction. Without phase stabilization of the interferometry for polarization entanglement, we robustly produce all four Bell states via a polarization Sagnac configuration. The brightness, stability, and temporal purity advantages provided by our polarization-entangled SFWM photon-pair source have very important applications in the context of a practical scalable quantum network.
Complementarity, a fundamental tenet of quantum optics, is indispensable for elucidating the fundamental principles of quantum physics and advancing quantum information processing applications. In the context of wave–particle duality, induced-coherence experiments were understood through the lens of which-path information. Conversely, the stimulated-coherence experiments were explained by using the indistinguishability of the photon statistics of conjugate photons as a means of realizing complementarity. Here, we report a systematic approach for establishing a complementary relationship between the interference visibility, concurrence, and predictability in the crossing of induced and stimulated coherences of two-mode squeezed coherent states. This is achieved using a double-path interferometer involving two independent four-wave mixing (FWM) atomic samples generated via spontaneous and stimulated FWM processes from a warm atomic ensemble of 87 Rb. We demonstrate that the transition from quantum to classical behavior can be characterized by the induced coherence effect, distinguishing between the two-mode squeezed vacuum and coherent states. Moreover, our experimental scheme, employing two FWM atomic ensembles with long-coherent photons, provides valuable insights into the complementarity of which-path information in induced and stimulated coherences.
We report a systematic approach for establishing a complementary relationship between the interference visibility, concurrence, and predictability in the crossing of induced and stimulated coherences of two-mode squeezed coherent states. This is achieved using a double-path interferometer involving two independent four-wave mixing (FWM) atomic samples generated via spontaneous and stimulated FWM processes from a warm atomic ensemble of 87Rb. We demonstrate that the transition from quantum to classical behavior can be characterized by the induced coherence effect, distinguishing between the two-mode squeezed vacuum and coherent states. Moreover, our experimental scheme, employing two FWM atomic ensembles with long-coherent photons, provides valuable insights into the complementarity of which-path information in induced and stimulated coherences.
We report on the dynamic manipulation of light in a warm 87Rb atomic ensemble using light storage based on the atomic spin coherence arising from the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and spontaneous four-wave mixing (FWM) processes. We demonstrate that, subsequent to the generation of atomic spin coherence between two hyperfine ground states via the EIT storage process, it is possible to control the delay time, direction, and optical frequency of the retrieved light according to the timing sequence and powers of the coupling, probe, and driving lasers used for atomic-spin-coherence generation and the spontaneous FWM process. We believe that our results provide useful ideas in photon frequency conversion and photon control in connection with the quantum memories that is essential in the quantum communications technology.
Driven by the desire of narrow-band photon pairs source, in this Mphil thesis work, we demonstrate the generation of photon pairs with controllable coherence time up to 1.72 microseconds, using spontaneous four-wave mixing with electromagnetically induced transparency in a laser-cooled atomic ensemble with an optical depth (OD) as high as 130. At such a high OD, we find that the pump laser intensity profile has a significant effect on the time-frequency entangled two-photon waveform. We also confirm the quantum particle nature of heralded narrow-band single photons generated from this source.
Abstract The realization of high-quality and stable entangled states is crucial for the advancement of quantum information science and technology. The entangled photons generated from a warm atomic ensemble exhibit high spectral purity and indistinguishability, offering significant potential for atom–photon-based quantum networks. We report high-quality time–frequency entangled continuous-wave (CW) photon pairs via a spontaneous four-wave mixing process in the cascade-type atomic transition of 5S 1/2 –5P 3/2 –5D 5/2 from a warm 87 Rb atomic ensemble. We observed Franson interference with the visibility of 99.6(8) % using two independent Franson interferometers, obtained by post-selecting the temporally indistinguishable two-photon events. The interferometer phases were actively stabilized using the reference laser frequency-locked to the 133 Cs (6S 1/2 -6P 3/2 ) transition. Beyond stabilizing the interferometers, the active control of these phases allowed us to measure the CHSH S -value directly and achieve a near-maximal Bell inequality violation with S = 2.83(7). This result demonstrates that warm atomic ensembles can serve as bright sources of time–frequency entanglement, which combined with active interferometer stabilization enable stable high-visibility operation for practical applications in quantum network.