AVATURN · Atomic vapor-based turnstile device for single photons
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-07-01 → 2023-06-30
- EU contribution
- €174,806
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Atomic vapor-based turnstile device for single photons
Quantum information science has the potential to significantly improve our modern technologies. In this rapid-growing field, the common ability to encode, communicate and manipulate quantum bits are the necessary condition on the roadmap towards the development of quantum technologies. Due to their weak coupling with the environment, photons can be used as the so-called flying qubits, carrying the quantum information within a device or in between two nodes of a larger-scale quantum network. As quantum science is developing toward technologies, it is essential to have practical and scalable photon sources that can operate well, outside of laboratories. Until now, it has been particularly demanding to meet the requirement of, simultaneously, having a source emitting a high rate of indistinguishable Fourier-transform limited single photons with wavelengths and linewidths matching those of matter qubits, while being compact and easy to use (= no cooling, no complex system). The current proposal aims at developing a practical atom-based, source of non-classical light devoid of cooling system or ultra-high vacuum. Based on a novel theoretical proposal, our source can generate narrow linewidth in a thermal atomic vapor.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
This project aims at developing a source of Fourier-transform-limited single-photons which does not require ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) or cryogenic environment. Thanks to these characteristics, such a source is ideally suited for practical applications. It relies on a novel approach based on a collectively enhanced resonant light-atom interaction within an ensemble of weakly coupled emitters. The key mechanism is a photon-number dependent quantum interference that can modify the photon-statistics of a weak coherent state, i.e. bunching or antibunching, when travelling through the ensemble. Interestingly, when interacting with a critical number of emitters, the coherent state can be transformed into a stream of antibunched single photons. In such a case the ensemble acts as a single-photon turnstile. The transmitted single photons are indistinguishable – an important feature for most quantum information applications. While this interference mechanism was recently experimentally demonstrated with cold atoms in our team, in this proposal we explore a whole new regime with thermal atomic vapor of Rubidium. Different strategies will be implemented to mitigate the effect of the much broader velocity class of the atoms in the thermal vapor. In particular, a velocity-selective excitation scheme will allow to circumvent the Doppler broadening. In addition to the remarkable feature of not requiring complex optical setups and cooling, this new source would generate single photons at telecom wavelength of 1529 nm, well-suited for long distance communication. On the other hand, it also enables integration with the mature technological platform of silicon photonics. Finally, in order to increase its practicability, the current proposal envisions to explore two different fiber-integrated designs for such a source: a nanofiber (evanescently coupled to the thermal vapor) and a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (filled with the thermal vapor).
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN · BerlinCoordinatorGermany
Links
- View on CORDIS
- DOI: 10.3030/101029304
- https://www.physik.hu-berlin.de/en/gop-en/main_en/thinner-than-light
Data: CORDIS, © European Union