Room-temperature single-photon source with near-millisecond built-in memory

Karsten B. Dideriksen, Rebecca Schmieg, Michael Zugenmaier, Eugene S. Polzik*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)
59 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Non-classical photon sources are a crucial resource for distributed quantum networks. Photons generated from matter systems with memory capability are particularly promising, as they can be integrated into a network where each source is used on-demand. Among all kinds of solid state and atomic quantum memories, room-temperature atomic vapours are especially attractive due to their robustness and potential scalability. To-date room-temperature photon sources have been limited either in their memory time or the purity of the photonic state. Here we demonstrate a single-photon source based on room-temperature memory. Following heralded loading of the memory, a single photon is retrieved from it after a variable storage time. The single-photon character of the retrieved field is validated by the strong suppression of the two-photon component with antibunching as low as g(RR|W=1)((2)) = 0:20 +/- 0:07. Non-classical correlations between the heralding and the retrieved photons are maintained for up to tau(R)(NC) = (0:68 +/- 0:08) ms, more than two orders of magnitude longer than previously demonstrated with other room-temperature systems. Correlations sufficient for violating Bell inequalities exist for up to tau(BI) = (0.15 +/- 0.03) ms.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3699
JournalNature Communications
Volume12
Issue number1
Number of pages7
ISSN2041-1723
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17 Jun 2021

Keywords

  • ELECTROMAGNETICALLY INDUCED TRANSPARENCY
  • QUANTUM MEMORY
  • ATOMIC ENSEMBLES
  • STATE
  • COMMUNICATION
  • SUPPRESSION
  • VAPOR

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