Quantum leakage of collective excitations of atomic ensemble induced by spatial motion

We generalize the conception of quantum leakage for the atomic collective excitation states. By making use of the atomic coherence state approach, we study the influence of the atomic spatial motion on the symmetric collective states of 2-level atomic ensemble due to inhomogeneous coupling. In the macroscopic limit, we analyze the quantum decoherence of the collective atomic state by calculating the quantum leakage for a very large ensemble at a finite temperature. Our investigations show that the fidelity of the atomic system will not be good in the case of atom numberN→∞. Therefore, quantum leakage is an inevitable problem in using the atomic ensemble as a quantum information memory. The detailed calculations shed theoretical light on quantum processing using atomic ensemble collective qubit.     

Stark-interaction stabilization of the excited state of identical particles

It has been shown in the Markov approximation of the quantum stochastic differential equation approach, with decay of the symmetric W state as an example, that the collective spontaneous decay of an ensemble of identical particles can be suppressed almost completely due to the Stark interaction of the particles with the vacuum electromagnetic field, which results in stabilization of the excited state of the atomic ensemble with a certain number of particles.     

Two-collective Mode Entanglement in a Four-level Atomic Ensemble

We propose a theoretical method to obtain two-collective mode entanglement in a four-level atomic ensemble. One collective mode is produced due to the Raman atomic coherence, the acquisition of another collective mode is ascribed to the quantum interference in two four-wave mixing processes. We show that two-collective mode and two original single modes are also in the entangled state in experimentally accessible parameter regimes.     

Non-classical correlation between a single photon and the collective spin excited state of a cold atomic ensemble

We experimentally establish a non-classical correlation between a single Stokes photon and the collective spin excited state of a cold atomic ensemble by using a spontaneous Raman scattering process. The correlation between them can be proved by transferring the spin excited state of the atomic ensemble into an anti-Stokes photon and checking the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality between the Stokes and the anti-Stokes photons. The non-classical correlation can be kept for at least 300 ns.     

Adiabatic Passage of Collective Excitations in Atomic Ensembles

We describe a theoretical scheme that allows for transfer of quantum states of atomic collective excitation between two macroscopic atomic ensembles localized in two spatially-separated domains. The conception is based on the occurrence of double-exciton dark states due to the collective destructive quantum interference of the emissions from the two atomic ensembles. With an adiabatically coherence manipulation for the atom-field couplings by stimulated Rmann scattering, the dark states will extrapolate from an exciton state of an ensemble to that of another. This realizes the transport of quantum information among atomic ensembles.     

Adiabatic Passage of Collective Excitations in Atomic Ensembles

We describe a theoretical scheme that allows for transfer of quantum states of atomic collective excitation between two macroscopic atomic ensembles localized in two spatially-separated domains. The conception is based on the occurrence of double-exciton dark states due to the collective destructive quantum interference of the emissions from the two atomic ensembles. With an adiabatically coherence manipulation for the atom-field couplings by stimulated Ramann scattering, the dark states will extrapolate from an exciton state of an ensemble to that of another. This realizes the transport of quantum information among atomic ensembles.     

Simple cases of spontaneous emission from an atom-photon cluster localized in a microcavity

The spontaneous emission from an atomic ensemble localized in a microcavity with the participation of microcavity photons and an external broadband quantized electromagnetic field at the Raman resonance of photons with an optically forbidden (two-photon) atomic transition has been studied. The average spontaneous decay intensity has been calculated for simple cases. It is shown that the dynamics of spontaneous emission from this atomic ensemble differs generally from the conventional superradiance (spontaneous emission of an atomic ensemble at a one-photon optically allowed transition from excited to the ground state. When the atomic ensemble is strongly excited, the delay times and the emission pulse shape differ significantly. The parameter ranges where the spontaneous emission from the atomic ensemble under consideration at a two-photon Raman transition can be described as conventional superradiance with renormalized parameters are found. In the case of single excitation the photon emission probability depends on the number of photons and atoms in the microcavity.     

Optically-driven cooling for collective atomic excitations

We explore how to cool collective atomic excitations in an optically-driven three-level atomic ensemble, which may be described by a model of two coupled harmonic oscillators (HOs) with a time-dependent coupling. Moreover, the model of two coupled HOs is further generalized to address the resolved sideband cooling issues, where the lower-frequency HO can be cooled whenever the cooling process dominates over the heating one during the sideband transitions. Unusually, due to the absence of the heating process, the optimal result for cooling collective excitations in an atomic ensemble could break the standard resolved sideband cooling limit for general models of two coupled HOs.     

Measurement schemes for the spin quadratures on an ensemble of atoms

We consider how to measure collective spin states of an atomic ensemble based on the multi-pass approaches for quantum interface between light and atoms. We find that a scheme with two passages of a light pulse through the atomic ensemble is efficient to implement the homodyne tomography of the spin state. Thereby, we propose to utilize optical pulses as a phase shifter that rotates the quadrature of the spins. This method substantially simplifies the geometry of experimental schemes.     

Non-Wiener Dynamics of the Generalized Dike Model as a Detector of a Broadband Single-Photon Wave Packet

It has been demonstrated that a quantum state of a broadband single-photon electromagnetic field can be detected and verified by recording the intensity of superradiance of an atomic ensemble governed by non- Wiener dynamics. Under these conditions, the collective relaxation of atoms in the Dike model into vacuum is completely suppressed and only the interaction of the external field with atoms generates a superradiance pulse proportional to the square of the number of atoms. In the case of a single-photon wave packet in a classical state prepared by weakening a broadband source of a family of independent coherent modes, incoherent emission of the same ensemble occurs with the intensity proportional to the number of atoms.     

Perfect State Transfer and Entanglement Generation with Coupled Cavities

We study atomic state transfer and entanglement generation when the N atomic ensemble is trapped in two coupled cavities. We show that based on the collective interaction between the atoms and local cavity fields an ideal quantum state transfer can be realized if some special conditions are satisfied. In addition, the maximal atom entangled state can be achieved. The effect of the cavity losses on the quantum processes is also studied.     

Quantum memory with optically trapped atoms

We report the experimental demonstration of quantum memory for collective atomic states in a far-detuned optical dipole trap. Generation of the collective atomic state is heralded by the detection of a Raman scattered photon and accompanied by storage in the ensemble of atoms. The optical dipole trap provides confinement for the atoms during the quantum storage while retaining the atomic coherence. We probe the quantum storage by cross correlation of the photon pair arising from the Raman scattering and the retrieval of the atomic state stored in the memory. Nonclassical correlations are observed for storage times up to 60 mus.     

The collective Lamb shift in nuclear γ-ray superradiance

The electromagnetic transitions of M?ssbauer nuclei provide almost ideal two-level systems to transfer quantum optical concepts into the regime of hard x-rays. If many identical atoms collectively interact with a resonant radiation field, one observes (quantum) optical properties that are strongly different from those of a single atom. The most prominent effect is the broadening of the resonance line known as collective enhancement, resulting from multiple scattering of real photons within the atomic ensemble. On the other hand, the exchange of virtual photons within the ensemble leads to a tiny energy shift of the resonance line, the collective Lamb shift, that remained experimentally elusive for a long time after its prediction. Here we illustrate how highly brilliant synchrotron radiation allows one to prepare superradiant states of excited M?ssbauer nuclei, an important condition for observation of the collective Lamb shift.     

基于原子系综集体激发的量子存贮

近几年来,人们从理论和实验两个方面探讨了利用自由原子系综作为量子记忆体的可能性. 基于固定于格点上Λ型“原子”系综的准自旋波激发的研究, 提出了实现光子信息量子存贮的新方案. 这个方案的目标是为了克服自由原子系综量子存贮方案中存在的量子态漏损诱导退相干的致命问题. 研究过程中发现了系综型量子记忆体中隐藏动力学的对称性和其绝热暗态演化的选择定则. 为了确切地表述这个工作的意义,还扼要地介绍这个方案建立的前期关于原子系综对称集体激发的系列工作. In this article we reviews a new protocol of quantum memory based on the quasi pin wave excitation of the Λ systems fixed the sites of lattice. This protocol tries to avoid the disadvantage of the quantum memory scheme based on free atom ensemble, the quantum decoherence induced by the quantum leakage of collective state. Especially,we discover a universal dynamic symmetry hidden in various ensemble based quantum storage scheme. To understand the significance of this work exactly, we also give a brief introduction to our systematical studies on collective symmetric excitons in quantum ensemble,which is the necessary to propose the present scheme for quantum memory.     

Single-photon generation from stored excitation in an atomic ensemble

Single photons are generated from an ensemble of cold Cs atoms via the protocol of Duan et al. [Nature (London), ()]]. Conditioned upon an initial detection from field 1 at 852 nm, a photon in field 2 at 894 nm is produced in a controlled fashion from excitation stored within the atomic ensemble. The single-quantum character of field 2 is demonstrated by the violation of a Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, namely w(1(2),1(2)|1(1))=0.24+/-0.05 not > or = 1, where w(1(2),1(2)|1(1)) describes the detection of two events (1(2),1(2)) conditioned upon an initial detection 1(1), with w-->0 for single photons.     

Self-synchronization and dissipation-induced threshold in collective atomic recoil lasing

Networks of globally coupled oscillators exhibit phase transitions from incoherent to coherent states. Atoms interacting with the counterpropagating modes of a unidirectionally pumped high-finesse ring cavity form such a globally coupled network. The coupling mechanism is provided by collective atomic recoil lasing, i.e., cooperative Bragg scattering of laser light at an atomic density grating, which is self-induced by the laser light. Under the rule of an additional friction force, the atomic ensemble is expected to undergo a phase transition to a state of synchronized atomic motion. We present the experimental investigation of this phase transition by studying the threshold behavior of this lasing process.     

冷原子系综中两正交光场偏振模高效率存储的实验研究

高效率光量子信息存储是可扩展光量子信息处理的一个重要工具.本文对一个冷原子系综中两正交光场偏振模的高效率存储进行了实验研究.通过在雪茄型冷原子系统上施加一个中等强度的磁场,消除了原子Zeeman子能级的简并性,从而使磁敏感自旋波从电磁感应透明系统中被移出,由此完成了两正交光场偏振模高效率、长寿命的量子存储.实验测量了两偏振模存储效率与存储时间以及实验重复频率的关系,结果表明,随着重复频率的增加,存储效率逐渐降低,在10 Hz时,测量得到两偏振模存储效率为30%,同时存储寿命达到3 ms.测量结果为偏振纠缠在冷原子系统中的存储提供了重要的实验基础.     

Collective effects in the self-interference of a single photon emitted by two atoms

Collective effects in the spontaneous emission pattern of two identical two-level atoms a fixed distance apart and sharing initially a single excitation are investigated. It is shown that the interference can take place even when it is known for certain which atom is excited initially. This interference is due solely to the atomic coherence established through multiple photon absorptions and reemissions and will disappear if it is ignored. The interference patterns with and without collective effects are compared for symmetric and antisymmetric initial states. The dark center from an antisymmetric state is shown both analytically and numerically.     

Entanglement of a photon and a collective atomic excitation

We describe a new experimental approach to probabilistic atom-photon (signal) entanglement. Two qubit states are encoded as orthogonal collective spin excitations of an unpolarized atomic ensemble. After a programmable delay, the atomic excitation is converted into a photon (idler). Polarization states of both the signal and the idler are recorded and are found to be in violation of the Bell inequality. Atomic coherence times exceeding several microseconds are achieved by switching off all the trapping fields--including the quadrupole magnetic field of the magneto-optical trap--and zeroing out the residual ambient magnetic field.     

Optomechanical cavity cooling of an atomic ensemble

We demonstrate cavity sideband cooling of a single collective motional mode of an atomic ensemble down to a mean phonon occupation number ?n?(min?)=2.0(-0.3)(+0.9). Both ?n?(min) and the observed cooling rate are in good agreement with an optomechanical model. The cooling rate constant is proportional to the total photon scattering rate by the ensemble, demonstrating the cooperative character of the light-emission-induced cooling process. We deduce fundamental limits to cavity cooling either the collective mode or, sympathetically, the single-atom degrees of freedom.