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06:42
Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs
Published on: June 8, 2018
Coherent control of optical information with matter wave dynamics
Naomi S Ginsberg1, Sean R Garner, Lene Vestergaard Hau
1Department of Physics, and Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
Nature
|February 9, 2007
Summary
Scientists transferred information between two Bose-Einstein condensates by converting light pulses into matter waves. This quantum control technique stores and revives optical pulses using atomic matter-wave dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Quantum optics and atomic physics.
- Exploration of light-matter interactions in Bose-Einstein condensates.
Background:
- Significant advancements in manipulating matter with light and vice versa.
- Cold, dense atom clouds and resonant laser fields offer rich systems for study.
- Ultraslow light propagation in Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) showcases extreme light manipulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the storage and revival of a slow light pulse between two spatially separated Bose-Einstein condensates.
- To show information transfer via conversion of an optical pulse into a traveling matter wave.
Main Methods:
- Injection and spatial compression of a probe laser pulse into a BEC in the presence of a coupling field.
- Conversion of the optical pulse into atomic superposition states (stationary and recoiling components).
- Transfer of the imprinted amplitude and phase information via the recoiling atomic 'messenger' wave.
- Revival of the light pulse from a second BEC by re-illuminating with the coupling laser and coherent addition of the messenger pulse.
Main Results:
- Successful storage and subsequent revival of a slow light pulse from a separate BEC, 160 µm away.
- Demonstration of information transfer through the conversion of optical pulses into traveling matter waves.
- The revived light pulse accurately records the relative amplitude and phase of the atomic imprint.
Conclusions:
- Provides a dramatic demonstration of coherent optical information processing utilizing matter wave dynamics.
- Highlights the potential of quantum control for applications in quantum information processing and wavefunction sculpting.
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