title: Electro-optic quantum memory for light using two-level atoms.
abstract: We present a simple quantum memory scheme that allows for the storage of a light field in an ensemble of two-level atoms. The technique is analogous to the NMR gradient echo for which the imprinting and recalling of the input field are performed by controlling a linearly varying broadening. Our protocol is perfectly efficient in the limit of high optical depths and the output pulse is emitted in the forward direction. We provide a numerical analysis of the protocol together with an experiment performed in a solid state system. In close agreement with our model, the experiment shows a total efficiency of up to 15%, and a recall efficiency of 26%. We suggest simple realizable improvements for the experiment to surpass the no-cloning limit.
authors.affiliation: ARC COE for Quantum-Atom Optics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hétet
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Longdell
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sellars