Efficient single photon detection with cold atoms in hollow fiber

POSTER

Abstract

Cold atoms confined inside a hollow core photonic crystal fiber are a promising medium for studying nonlinear optical interactions at extremely low light levels. For instance, we demonstrated in recent experiments how such an atomic ensemble consisting of $\sim10^3$ laser cooled $^{87}Rb$ atoms results in an optically dense medium whose transparency can be controlled with pulses containing just a few hundred photons [1]. Here, we describe how this medium can be used for high efficiency detection of single stored excitations. This in turn allows for non-destructive detection of single photons with near unity probability, which for example could greatly enhance the efficiency of the DLCZ-scheme for quantum repeaters. We also discuss recent improvements of the atom loading scheme to increase the optical depth of the atomic medium inside the hollow core fiber. [1] M.~Bajcsy, S.~Hofferberth, V.~Balic, T.~Peyronel, M.~Hafezi, A.~S.~Zibrov, V.~Vuletic, M.~D.~Lukin, Efficient all-optical switching using slow light within a hollow fiber, arXiv:0901.0336 (2009)

Authors

  • Sebastian Hofferberth

    Physics Department, Harvard University

  • Michal Bajcsy

    Physics Department, Harvard University

  • Thibault Peyronel

    Physics Department, MIT

  • Mohammad Hafezi

    Physics Department, Harvard University, Harvard University

  • Vlatko Balic

    Physics Department, Harvard University

  • Alexander Zibrov

    Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms, Harvard University, Physics Department, Harvard University, Harvard

  • Vladan Vuletic

    Physics Department, MIT

  • Mikhail Lukin

    Physics Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA, Physics Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA, Harvard University, Department of Physics, Physics Department, Harvard University, Harvard University, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA