Room temperature atomic frequency comb storage for light

Area of Science:

• Quantum Optics
• Atomic Physics
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Coherent optical storage is crucial for quantum information processing and optical signal processing.
• Atomic frequency combs offer a promising platform for broadband optical memory due to their unique spectral properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate coherent storage and retrieval of pulsed light using the atomic frequency comb protocol.
• To investigate the multi-temporal mode storage and recall capabilities in a room-temperature alkali vapor.
• To explore the enhancement of recall efficiency using multiple optical transitions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized velocity-selective optical pumping to prepare multiple velocity classes in the hyperfine ground state of cesium.
• Engineered an atomic frequency comb by matching frequency spacing to excited state hyperfine splitting.
• Mapped weak coherent states into the atomic frequency comb for storage and retrieval at pre-programmed times.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated coherent storage and retrieval of 2 ns pulsed light with recall times of 8 ns and 12 ns.
• Achieved multi-temporal mode storage and recall, showcasing the versatility of the atomic frequency comb.
• Observed an interference effect upon rephasing when utilizing two transitions, leading to enhanced recall efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The atomic frequency comb protocol is effective for coherent light storage and retrieval in room-temperature alkali vapor.
• The demonstrated multi-temporal mode capability is significant for applications in quantum memory and optical buffering.
• Exploiting interference effects in multi-transition atomic frequency combs can significantly improve recall efficiency.