Cooperative single-photon subradiant states

Abstract

We propose a set of subradiant states which can be prepared and detected in a one-dimensional optical lattice. We find that the decay rates are highly dependent on the spatial phases imprinted on the atomic chain, which gives systematic investigations of the subradiance in the fluorescence experiments. The time evolution of these states can have long decay time where up to hundred milliseconds of lifetime is predicted for one hundred atoms. They can also show decayed Rabi-like oscillations with a beating frequency determined by the difference of cooperative Lamb shift in the subspace. Experimental requirements are also discussed for practical implementation of the subradiant states. Our proposal provides a novel scheme for quantum storage of photons in arrays of two-level atoms through the preparation and detection of subradiant states, which offer opportunities for quantum many-body state preparation and quantum information processing in optical lattices.