Suppressing decoherence of spin waves in a warm atomic vapor by applying a guiding magnetic field

Abstract

We report an experimental and theoretical investigation to extend lifetimes of light storages by applying guiding magnetic fields in a room-temperature atomic vapor. The storages are based on dynamic electromagnetically induced transparency. Retrieval efficiencies versus storage time are experimentally measured for different strengths of the guiding magnetic fields. The measured results show that the 1/e storage times are ∼6 μs and ∼59 μs for the guiding field B0z = 0 and B0z = 93 mG, respectively. Physical processes causing decoherence in an atomic ensemble have been discussed and analyzed. A theory model which is used to evaluate the decoherence caused by fluctuations of transverse magnetic fields is developed. Based on this evaluation, the fact that storage lifetimes can be increased by applying guiding magnetic fields is well explained.