2011/05/31 by Jerome Dilley, Peter Nisbet-Jones, Bruce W. Shore +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreva.85.023834
published as Phys. Rev. A 85, 023834 (2012) · 6 pages, 8 figures
arxiv created 2012/03/01 · arxiv updated 2012/03/02
We show how to capture a single photon of arbitrary temporal shape with one atom coupled to an optical cavity. Our model applies to Raman transitions in three-level atoms with one branch of the transition controlled by a (classical) laser pulse, and the other coupled to the cavity. Photons impinging on the cavity normally exhibit partial reflection, transmission, and/or absorption by the atom. Only a control pulse of suitable temporal shape ensures impedance matching throughout the pulse, which is necessary for complete state mapping from photon to atom. For most possible photon shapes, we derive an unambiguous analytic expression for the shape of this control pulse, and we discuss how this relates to a quantum memory.