A High-Brightness Source of Narrowband, Identical-Photon Pairs

作者：James K. Thompson, Jonathan Simon, Huanqian Loh, Vladan Vuletić · 发表于：Science · 年份：2006 · DOI：10.1126/science.1127676 · 被引用次数：218 · 研究领域：Quantum Information and Cryptography、Quantum optics and atomic interactions、Mechanical and Optical Resonators

We generated narrowband pairs of nearly identical photons at a rate of 5 x 10(4) pairs per second from a laser-cooled atomic ensemble inside an optical cavity. A two-photon interference experiment demonstrated that the photons could be made 90% indistinguishable, a key requirement for quantum information-processing protocols. Used as a conditional single-photon source, the system operated near the fundamental limits on recovery efficiency (57%), Fourier transform-limited bandwidth, and pair-generation-rate-limited suppression of two-photon events (factor of 33 below the Poisson limit). Each photon had a spectral width of 1.1 megahertz, ideal for interacting with atomic ensembles that form the basis of proposed quantum memories and logic.