Generation of highly-retrievable atom–photon entanglement with a millisecond lifetime via a spatially-multiplexed cavity
Hai Wang, Minjie Wang, Shengzhi Wang, Tengfei Ma, Ya Li, Yan Xie, Haole Jiao, Hailong Liu, Shujing Li
Abstract
Abstract Qubit memory that is entangled with photonic qubit is the building block for quantum repeaters. Realizing ensemble-based repeaters requires qubit simultaneously featuring high retrieval efficiencies and long lifetimes. So far, the longest memory time at 50% retrieval efficiency for entanglement storage reaches ~40 μs. Here, by coupling cold atoms to two spatially-distinctive modes of a polarization-interferometer-based cavity, we achieve cavity-perfectly-enhanced and long-lived atom-photon entanglement. A write-laser beam is applied onto cold atoms, we then create a magnetic-field-insensitive spin-wave qubit that is entangled with the photonic qubit encoded onto two arms of the interferometer. By applying a read beam, the spin-wave qubit is converted to a photonic qubit, whose two modes are resonant with the cavity. Our experimental data shows that zero-delay intrinsic retrieval efficiency is up to 77% and 1/e lifetime 1ms. At 50% efficiency, the storage time reaches 540μs , which is 13.5 times longer than the best reported result.