Photon-based quantum information processing promises new technologies including optical quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and distributed quantum networks. Polarization-encoded photons at telecommunication wavelengths provide a compelling platform for practical realization of these technologies. However, despite important success towards building elementary components compatible with this platform, including sources of entangled photons, efficient single photon detectors, and on-chip quantum circuits, a missing element has been atomic quantum memory that directly allows for reversible mapping of quantum states encoded in the polarization degree of a telecom-wavelength photon. Here we demonstrate the quantum storage and retrieval of polarization states of heralded single-photons at telecom-wavelength by implementing the atomic frequency comb protocol in an ensemble of erbium atoms doped into an optical fiber. Despite remaining limitations in our proof-of-principle demonstration such as small storage efficiency and storage time, our broadband light-matter interface reveals the potential for use in future quantum information processing.
Heralded single photon source (HSPS) is an important way in generating genuine single photon, having advantages of experimental simplicity and versatility. However, HSPS intrinsically suffers from the trade-off between the heralded single photon rate and the single photon purity. To overcome this, one can apply multiplexing technology in different degrees of freedom to enhance the performance of HSPS. Here, by employing spectral multiplexing and active feed-forward spectral manipulating, we demonstrate a HSPS at 1.5 μm telecom-band. Our experimental results show that the spectral multiplexing …
Future quantum networks will enable the distribution of entanglement between distant locations and allow applications in quantum communication, quantum sensing and distributed quantum computation. At the core of this network lies the ability of generating and storing entanglement at remote, interconnected quantum nodes. While remote physical systems of various nature have been successfully entangled, none of these realisations encompassed all of the requirements for network operation, such as telecom-compatibility and multimode operation. Here we report the demonstration of heralded entangleme…
We study the generation of correlated photon pairs and heralded single photons via strongly non-degenerate spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) in a series of identical micro-/nano fibers (MNF). Joint spectral intensity of the biphoton field generated at the wavelength of about 880 nm and 1310 nm has been measured under excitation by 100 ps laser pulses demonstrating good agreement with the theoretical prediction. The measured zero-time second-order autocorrelation function was about 0.2 when the emission rate of the heralded photons was of 4 Hz. The MNF-based source perfectly matches standard …
Propagation of broadband photon pairs over deployed telecommunication fibers is used to achieve nonlocal dispersion compensation without the deliberate introduction of negative dispersion. This is made possible by exploiting time-energy entanglement and the positive and negative dispersive properties of the fiber. We demonstrate preservation of photon timing correlations after transmission over two multi-segment 10km spans of deployed fiber and up to 80km of laboratory-based fiber.
Long-lived telecom-heralded single-photon storage in an absorptive spin-rephased quantum memory
ICFO - Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology（光子科学研究所，巴塞罗那科学技术研究院）；ICREA – Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats（加泰罗尼亚高级研究学院）
We describe a compact and versatile multi-frequency laser system for laser-cooling potassium atoms, by frequency doubling a fiber-optic telecom beam ($\simeq 1534$ or $1540$~nm). Low-power fiber-based telecom lasers and components generate a single beam containing the cooling and repumper half frequencies, subsequently amplified by high-power amplifier. A final free-space SHG stage generates a single beam with typically 2.5 W at quasi-resonant frequencies ($\simeq 767$ or $770$~nm) with high-quality mode and ready for laser cooling. This allowed to trap up to $4\times10^9$ $^{41}$K atoms with …
We report a bright and tunable source of spectrally pure heralded single photons in the telecom O-Band, based on cross-polarized four wave mixing in a commercial birefringent optical fiber. The source can achieve a purity of 85%, heralding efficiency of 30% and high coincidences to accidentals ratio of 108. Furthermore, the possibility of building multiple identical sources is explored. Through the measurements of joint spectral intensities, we find that the fiber is homogeneous over atleast 45 centimeters and can potentially realize 4 identical sources. This paves the way for a cost-effective…
We experimentally characterize photon leakage from 112Gbps data channels in both non-trench and trench-assistant 7-core fibers, demonstrating telecom compatibility for QKD co-existing with high-speed data transmission when a proper core/wavelength allocation is carried out.
Heralded entanglement between distant quantum memories is the key resource for quantum networks. Based on quantum repeater protocols, these networks will facilitate efficient large-scale quantum communication and distributed quantum computing. However, despite vast efforts, long-distance fibre based network links have not been realized yet. Here we present results demonstrating heralded entanglement between two independent, remote single-atom quantum memories generated over fibre links with a total length up to 33 km. To overcome the attenuation losses in the long optical fibres of photons ini…
Scalable generation of heralded single photons via active feed-forward switching of a fiber delay line
Institute of Space Research, German Aerospace Center（德国航空航天中心空间研究所）；Institut für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin（柏林洪堡大学物理研究所）；Institut für Optik und Atomare Physik, Technische Universität Berlin（柏林工业大学光学与原子物理研究所）；AQLS GmbH（AQLS有限公司）
Noiseless optical components are critical for applications ranging from metrology to quantum communication. Here we characterize several commercial telecom C-band fiber components for parasitic noise using a tunable laser. We observe the spectral signature of trace concentrations of erbium in all devices from the underlying optical crystals including YVO4, LiNbO3, TeO2 and AMTIR glass. Due to the long erbium lifetime, these signals are challenging to mitigate at the single photon level in the telecom range, and suggests the need for higher purity optical crystals.
Quantum memories at telecom wavelengths are crucial for the construction of large-scale quantum networks based on existing fiber networks. On-demand storage of telecom photonic qubits is a fundamental request for such networking applications but yet to be demonstrated. Here we demonstrate the storage and on-demand retrieval of telecom photonic qubits using a laser-written waveguide fabricated in an $^{167}$Er$^{3+}$:Y$_2$SiO$_5$ crystal. Both ends of the waveguide memory are directly connected with fiber arrays with a fiber-to-fiber efficiency of 51%. Storage fidelity of 98.3(1)% can be obtain…
Near-Infrared and Telecommunication-Wavelength Photon-Pair Source in Optical Fiber
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign（伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校）；Illinois Quantum Information Science & Technology Center (IQUIST)（伊利诺伊量子信息与科技中心）；Cornell University（康奈尔大学）
Optical quantum technologies such as quantum sensing, quantum cryptography and quantum computation all utilize properties of non-classical light, such as precise photon-number and entangled photon-pair states, to surpass technologies based on the classical light. A common route for obtaining heralded single photons is spontaneous four-wave mixing in optical fibers, allowing for a well-defined spatial mode, for high efficiency integration into optical fiber networks. These fibers are typically pumped using large, commercial, pulsed lasers requiring high-power (~10 W) pump lasers and are limited…
