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Limits of single-photon storage in a single Λ-type atom

Zhi-Lei Zhang1,2 and Li-Ping Yang1,*

  • 1Center for Quantum Sciences and School of Physics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
  • 2Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100193, China

  • *lipingyang87@gmail.com
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Phys. Rev. A 107, 063704 – Published 13 June, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.107.063704

Abstract

We investigate theoretically the limits of single-photon storage in a single Λ-type atom, specifically the trade-off between storage efficiency and storage speed. We show that a control field can accelerate the storage process without degrading efficiency too much. However, the storage speed is ultimately limited by the total decay rate of the excited state involved. For a single-photon pulse propagating in a regular one-dimensional waveguide, the storage efficiency has an upper limit of 50%. Perfect single-photon storage can be achieved by using a chiral waveguide or the Sagnac interferometry. By comparing the storage efficiencies of Fock-state and coherent-state pulses, we reveal the influence of quantum statistics of light on photon storage at the single-photon level.

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Phys. Rev. A 107, 063704– Published 13 June, 2023
  • Received 15 January 2023
  • Accepted 30 May 2023
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