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Updated: May 24, 2026
07:56
A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
Published on: September 5, 2019
Correlated photon emission from multiatom Rydberg dark States
J D Pritchard1, C S Adams, K Mølmer
1Department of Physics, Durham University, Rochester Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|March 10, 2012
Summary
We demonstrate that Rydberg atom interactions create correlated photon pairs, enabling an efficient source for quantum applications. This method generates photon pairs approximately every 30 microseconds.
Area of Science:
- Atomic physics
- Quantum optics
- Quantum information science
Background:
- Three-level atoms in a ladder configuration are studied.
- The upper level is a highly excited Rydberg state, susceptible to strong interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of dipole-dipole interactions between Rydberg excited atoms.
- To explore the potential for generating correlated photon pairs using these interactions.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of a three-level atomic system driven by two resonant light fields.
- Modeling dipole-dipole interactions between Rydberg states of separated atoms.
Main Results:
- Rydberg interactions prevent the formation of single-particle dark states.
- Strongly correlated photon pairs are generated from atoms separated by distances larger than the emission wavelength.
- An efficient photon-pair source is realized, producing one pair every 30 microseconds on average.
Conclusions:
- Dipole-dipole interactions in Rydberg excited atoms are crucial for generating correlated photon pairs.
- This system offers a promising route towards efficient sources for quantum communication and computation.
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