14 research outputs found
Modematching an optical quantum memory
We analyse the off-resonant Raman interaction of a single broadband photon,
copropagating with a classical `control' pulse, with an atomic ensemble. It is
shown that the classical electrodynamical structure of the interaction
guarantees canonical evolution of the quantum mechanical field operators. This
allows the interaction to be decomposed as a beamsplitter transformation
between optical and material excitations on a mode-by-mode basis. A single,
dominant modefunction describes the dynamics for arbitrary control pulse
shapes.
Complete transfer of the quantum state of the incident photon to a collective
dark state within the ensemble can be achieved by shaping the control pulse so
as to match the dominant mode to the temporal mode of the photon. Readout of
the material excitation, back to the optical field, is considered in the
context of the symmetry connecting the input and output modes. Finally, we show
that the transverse spatial structure of the interaction is characterised by
the same mode decomposition.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures. Brief section added treating the transverse
spatial structure of the memory interaction. Some references added. A few
typos fixe
Measuring phonon dephasing with ultrafast pulses using Raman spectral interference
A technique to measure the decoherence time of optical phonons in a solid is presented. Phonons are excited with a pair of time-delayed 80 fs near infrared pulses via spontaneous transient Raman scattering. The spectral fringe visibility of the resulting Raman pulse pair, as a function of time delay, is used to measure the phonon dephasing time. The method avoids the need to use either narrow band or few femtosecond pulses and is useful for low phonon excitations. The dephasing time of phonons created in bulk diamond is measured to be τ=6.8 ps (Δν=1.56 cm-1). ©2008 The American Physical Society
Towards registered single quantum dot photonic devices
We have registered the position and wavelength of a single InGaAs quantum dot using an innovative cryogenic laser lithography technique. This approach provides accurate marking of the location of self-organized dots and is particularly important for realizing any solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics scheme where the overlap of the spectral and spatial characteristics of an emitter and a cavity is essential. We demonstrate progress in two key areas towards efficient single quantum dot photonic device implementation. Firstly, we show the registration and reacquisition of a single quantum dot with 50 and 150 nm accuracy, respectively. Secondly, we present data on the successful fabrication of a photonic crystal L3 cavity following the registration process
Macroscopic non-classical states and terahertz quantum processing in room-temperature diamond
The nature of the transition between the familiar classical, macroscopic world and the quantum, microscopic one continues to be poorly understood. Expanding the regime of observable quantum behaviour to large-scale objects is therefore an exciting open problem. In macroscopic systems of interacting particles, rapid thermalization usually destroys any quantum coherence before it can be measured or used at room temperature. Here, we demonstrate quantum processing in the vibrational modes of a macroscopic diamond sample under ambient conditions. Using ultrafast Raman scattering, we create an extended, highly non-classical state in the optical phonon modes of bulk diamond. Direct measurement of phonon coherence and correlations establishes the non-classical nature of the crystal dynamics. These results show that optical phonons in diamond provide a unique opportunity for the study of large-scale quantum behaviour, and highlight the potential for diamond as a micro-photonic quantum processor capable of operating at terahertz rates