Interfacing collective atomic excitations and single photons.
We study the performance and limitations of a coherent interface between collective atomic states and single photons. A quantized spin-wave excitation of an atomic sample inside an optical resonator is prepared probabilistically, stored, and adiabatically converted on demand into a sub-Poissonian photonic excitation of the resonator mode. The measured peak single-quantum conversion efficiency of chi=0.84(11) and its dependence on various parameters are well described by a simple model of the mode geometry and multilevel atomic structure, pointing the way towards implementing high-performance stationary single-photon sources.
Simon
Jonathan
J
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
Tanji
Haruka
H
Thompson
James K
JK
Vuletić
Vladan
V