title: Optimal storage and retrieval of single-photon waveforms.
abstract: We report an experimental demonstration of optimal storage and retrieval of heralded single-photon wave packets using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in cold atoms at a high optical depth. We obtain an optimal storage efficiency of (49 ± 3)% for single-photon waveforms with a temporal likeness of 96%. Our result brings the EIT quantum light-matter interface closer to practical quantum information applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Shuyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shanchao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: M M T
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.forename: G K L
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Shengwang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Du