Abstract
Processing and distributing quantum information using photons through fibre-optic or free-space links are essential for building future quantum networks. The scalability needed for such networks can be achieved by employing photonic quantum states that are multiplexed into time and/or frequency, and light-matter interfaces that are able to store and process such states with large time-bandwidth product and multimode capacities. Despite important progress in developing such devices, the demonstration of these capabilities using non-classical light remains challenging. Here, employing the atomic frequency comb quantum memory protocol in a cryogenically cooled erbium-doped optical fibre, we report the quantum storage of heralded single photons at a telecom-wavelength (1.53 μm) with a time-bandwidth product approaching 800. Furthermore, we demonstrate frequency-multimode storage and memory-based spectral-temporal photon manipulation. Notably, our demonstrations rely on fully integrated quantum technologies operating at telecommunication wavelengths. With improved storage efficiency, our light-matter interface may become a useful tool in future quantum networks.
Highlights
Multiplexing, in the form of wavelength division multiplexing, is key for achieving high data rates in modern fibre-optic communication networks
As an important feature for future quantum networks, our demonstrations rely on fully integrated quantum technologies, i.e. a fibre-pigtailed LiNbO3 waveguide for the generation of heralded single photons by means of parametric down-conversion, a commercially available, cryogenically-cooled erbiumdoped single-mode fibre for photon storage and manipulation, and superconducting nanowire devices for high efficiency single photon detection
Analyzing the correlations between signal and recalled idler photons, we find gs(2i) = 8.33 ± 0.47, which shows that the heralded photons after – and before – storage, are non-classical, and confirms the quantum nature of our light-matter interface
Summary
Multiplexing, in the form of wavelength division multiplexing, is key for achieving high data rates in modern fibre-optic communication networks. The multimode operation of a Ramantype memory and the utilization of the potentially achievable large time-bandwidth products will remain challenging due to unfavourable scaling of this scheme’s multimode capacity with respect to optical depth [5] Another promising avenue for a multiplexed lightmatter interface is the atomic frequency comb (AFC)based quantum memory scheme in cryogenically cooled rare-earth ion doped materials [6, 7]. As an important feature for future quantum networks, our demonstrations rely on fully integrated quantum technologies, i.e. a fibre-pigtailed LiNbO3 waveguide for the generation of heralded single photons by means of parametric down-conversion, a commercially available, cryogenically-cooled erbiumdoped single-mode fibre for photon storage and manipulation, and superconducting nanowire devices for high efficiency single photon detection
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