Zero-Area Single-Photon Pulses

Year: 2016

Authors: Costanzo L. S., Coelho A. S., Pellegrino D., Mendes M. S., Acioli L., Cassemiro K. N., Felinto D., Zavatta A., Bellini M.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, INO, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Univ Florence, European Lab Nonlinear Spect LENS, I-50019 Florence, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Phys, I-50019 Florence, Italy; Ctr Univ UNINOFAPI, Dept Engn, BR-64073505 Teresina, Piaui, Brazil; Univ Fed Pernambuco, Dept Fis, BR-50670901 Recife, PE, Brazil.

Abstract: Broadband single photons are usually considered not to couple efficiently to atomic gases because of the large mismatch in bandwidth. Contrary to this intuitive picture, here we demonstrate that the interaction of ultrashort single photons with a dense resonant atomic sample deeply modifies the temporal shape of their wave packet mode without degrading their nonclassical character, and effectively generates zero-area single-photon pulses. This is a clear signature of strong transient coupling between single broadband (THz-level) light quanta and atoms, with intriguing fundamental implications and possible new applications to the storage of quantum information.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

Volume: 116 (2)      Pages from: 023602-1  to: 023602-5

More Information: This work was partially supported by the EU under the ERA-NET CHIST-ERA project QSCALE, and by the Brazilian agencies CNPq and CAPES.
KeyWords: Atoms; Photons; Quantum optics, Atomic gas; Atomic sample; Light quanta; New applications; Of quantum-information; Single photons; Single-photon pulse; Temporal shape, Particle beams
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.023602

Citations: 19
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