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Generation of single photons with highly tunable wave shape from a cold atomic ensemble

Author

Listed:
  • Pau Farrera

    (ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Georg Heinze

    (ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Boris Albrecht

    (ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    Present address: Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Melvyn Ho

    (University of Basel)

  • Matías Chávez

    (University of Basel)

  • Colin Teo

    (Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
    Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck
    Present address: Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore)

  • Nicolas Sangouard

    (University of Basel)

  • Hugues de Riedmatten

    (ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats)

Abstract

The generation of ultra-narrowband, pure and storable single photons with widely tunable wave shape is an enabling step toward hybrid quantum networks requiring interconnection of remote disparate quantum systems. It allows interaction of quantum light with several material systems, including photonic quantum memories, single trapped ions and opto-mechanical systems. Previous approaches have offered a limited tuning range of the photon duration of at most one order of magnitude. Here we report on a heralded single photon source with controllable emission time based on a cold atomic ensemble, which can generate photons with temporal durations varying over three orders of magnitude up to 10 μs without a significant change of the readout efficiency. We prove the nonclassicality of the emitted photons, show that they are emitted in a pure state, and demonstrate that ultra-long photons with nonstandard wave shape can be generated, which are ideally suited for several quantum information tasks.

Suggested Citation

  • Pau Farrera & Georg Heinze & Boris Albrecht & Melvyn Ho & Matías Chávez & Colin Teo & Nicolas Sangouard & Hugues de Riedmatten, 2016. "Generation of single photons with highly tunable wave shape from a cold atomic ensemble," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13556
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13556
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