Room-temperature single-photon source with near-millisecond built-in memory

Karsten B. Dideriksen, Rebecca Schmieg, Michael Zugenmaier and Eugene S. Polzik ()
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Karsten B. Dideriksen: University of Copenhagen
Rebecca Schmieg: University of Copenhagen
Michael Zugenmaier: University of Copenhagen
Eugene S. Polzik: University of Copenhagen

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Non-classical photon sources are a crucial resource for distributed quantum networks. Photons generated from matter systems with memory capability are particularly promising, as they can be integrated into a network where each source is used on-demand. Among all kinds of solid state and atomic quantum memories, room-temperature atomic vapours are especially attractive due to their robustness and potential scalability. To-date room-temperature photon sources have been limited either in their memory time or the purity of the photonic state. Here we demonstrate a single-photon source based on room-temperature memory. Following heralded loading of the memory, a single photon is retrieved from it after a variable storage time. The single-photon character of the retrieved field is validated by the strong suppression of the two-photon component with antibunching as low as $${g}_{{\rm{RR| W = 1}}}^{(2)}=0.20\pm 0.07$$ g RR∣W=1 ( 2 ) = 0.20 ± 0.07 . Non-classical correlations between the heralding and the retrieved photons are maintained for up to $${\tau }_{{\rm{NC}}}^{{\mathcal{R}}}=(0.68\pm 0.08)\ {\rm{ms}}$$ τ NC R = ( 0.68 ± 0.08 ) ms , more than two orders of magnitude longer than previously demonstrated with other room-temperature systems. Correlations sufficient for violating Bell inequalities exist for up to τBI = (0.15 ± 0.03) ms.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24033-8

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