Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
09:23
Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators
Published on: May 30, 2014
Quantum-state transfer from an ion to a photon.
A Stute1, B Casabone, B Brandstätter
1Institut für Experimentalphysik, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Nature Photonics
|July 2, 2013
Summary
Researchers demonstrate a deterministic quantum network model using ions and optical cavities. This method achieves 92% state transfer fidelity, paving the way for efficient ion-based quantum networks.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Information Science
- Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Background:
- Quantum networks require efficient and coherent information transfer between nodes.
- Existing models include probabilistic photon entanglement and deterministic atom-to-photon transfer.
- Challenges lie in maintaining quantum state coherence during transfer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement and characterize a deterministic quantum interface using trapped ions and optical cavities.
- To investigate the fidelity and efficiency of quantum state mapping from an ion to a photon.
- To assess the viability of this approach for building ion-based quantum networks.
Main Methods:
- Mapping the quantum state of a single ion onto a photon within an optical cavity.
- Utilizing the deterministic state initialization capabilities of ions.
- Leveraging the coherent coupling provided by optical cavities to a well-defined output mode.
- Operating outside the strong-coupling regime to evaluate performance under realistic conditions.
Main Results:
- Achieved quantum state transfer fidelities of 92%.
- Demonstrated successful operation despite non-negligible decoherence.
- Characterized the trade-off between transfer fidelity and efficiency.
- Showcased a time-independent mapping process.
Conclusions:
- Cavity-based quantum interfaces can achieve high fidelities without requiring the strong-coupling regime.
- The demonstrated ion-photon interface is a promising component for future ion-based quantum networks.
- This method offers a viable route for deterministic and coherent quantum information transfer.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Deactivation Processes: Jablonski Diagram
Luminescence, the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed energy, is a process that involves the interaction of molecules with light. The energy-level diagram, or Jablonski diagram, is a graphical representation of these interactions, illustrating the various states and transitions a molecule can undergo. In a typical Jablonski diagram, the lowest horizontal line represents the ground-state energy of the molecule, which is usually a singlet state. This state represents the energies...
01:14Molecular Spectroscopy: Absorption and Emission
Molecules possess discrete energy levels called quantum states. Unlike atoms, which have simpler energy levels, molecules possess additional rotational and vibrational energy levels. Each energy level is separated by an energy gap, with the gaps between adjacent electronic, vibrational, and rotational levels varying significantly. The three types of energy levels in a diatomic molecule are shown in Figure 1.
02:26Photoelectric Effect
When light of a particular wavelength strikes a metal surface, electrons are emitted. This is called the photoelectric effect. The minimum frequency of light that can cause such emission of electrons is called the threshold frequency, which is specific to the metal. Light with a frequency lower than the threshold frequency, even if it is of high intensity, cannot initiate the emission of electrons. However, when the frequency is higher than the threshold value, the number of electrons ejected...
02:45The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom
Shortly after de Broglie published his ideas that the electron in a hydrogen atom could be better thought of as being a circular standing wave instead of a particle moving in quantized circular orbits, Erwin Schrödinger extended de Broglie’s work by deriving what is now known as the Schrödinger equation. When Schrödinger applied his equation to hydrogen-like atoms, he was able to reproduce Bohr’s expression for the energy and, thus, the Rydberg formula governing hydrogen spectra. Schrödinger...
02:32The de Broglie Wavelength
In the macroscopic world, objects that are large enough to be seen by the naked eye follow the rules of classical physics. A billiard ball moving on a table will behave like a particle; it will continue traveling in a straight line unless it collides with another ball, or it is acted on by some other force, such as friction. The ball has a well-defined position and velocity or well-defined momentum, p = mv, which is defined by mass m and velocity v at any given moment. This is the typical...
02:39Emission Spectra
When solids, liquids, or condensed gases are heated sufficiently, they radiate some of the excess energy as light. Photons produced in this manner have a range of energies, and thereby produce a continuous spectrum in which an unbroken series of wavelengths is present.