Temporal Purity and Quantum Interference of Single Photons from Two Independent Cold Atomic Ensembles
Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews (RGC: 21, 22, 62) › 21_Publication in refereed journal › peer-review
Author(s)
Detail(s)
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 013602 |
Journal / Publication | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 117 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2016 |
Externally published | Yes |
Link(s)
Abstract
The temporal purity of single photons is crucial to the indistinguishability of independent photon sources for the fundamental study of the quantum nature of light and the development of photonic technologies. Currently, the technique for single photons heralded from time-frequency entangled biphotons created in nonlinear crystals does not guarantee the temporal-quantum purity, except using spectral filtering. Nevertheless, an entirely different situation is anticipated for narrow-band biphotons with a coherence time far longer than the time resolution of a single-photon detector. Here we demonstrate temporally pure single photons with a coherence time of 100 ns, directly heralded from the time-frequency entangled biphotons generated by spontaneous four-wave mixing in cold atomic ensembles, without any supplemented filters or cavities. A near-perfect purity and indistinguishability are both verified through Hong-Ou-Mandel quantum interference using single photons from two independent cold atomic ensembles. The time-frequency entanglement provides a route to manipulate the pure temporal state of the single-photon source.
Bibliographic Note
Publication details (e.g. title, author(s), publication statuses and dates) are captured on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis at the time of record harvesting from the data source. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to lbscholars@cityu.edu.hk.
Citation Format(s)
Temporal Purity and Quantum Interference of Single Photons from Two Independent Cold Atomic Ensembles. / Qian, Peng; Gu, Zhenjie; Cao, Rong et al.
In: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 117, No. 1, 013602, 01.07.2016.Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews (RGC: 21, 22, 62) › 21_Publication in refereed journal › peer-review