Subnatural-linewidth single-photon source is a potential candidate for exploring the time degree of freedom in photonic quantum information science. This type of single-photon source has been demonstrated to be generated and reshaped in atomic ensembles without any external cavity or filter, and is typically characterized through photon-counting technology. However, the full complex temporal mode function(TMF) of the photon source is not able to be revealed from direct photon counting measurement. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate the complete temporal mode of the subnatural-linewidth single photons generated from a cold atomic cloud. Through heterodyne detection between the single photon and a local oscillator with various central frequencies, we recover the temporal density matrix of the single photons at resolvable time bins. Further we demonstrate that the reduced autocorrelation function measured through homodyne detection perfectly reveals the pure temporal-spectral state of the subnatural-linewidth single photons.

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A photon source with high-dimensional entanglement is able to bring increasing capacity of information in quantum communication. The dimensionality is determined by the chosen degree of freedom of the photons and is limited by the complexity of the physical systems. Here we propose a new type of high-dimensional entangled photon source, generated via path-indistinguishable scheme from a two-dimensional atomic cloud, which is prepared in a magneto-optical trap. To verify the photon source, we demonstrate experimentally the quantum state of the single photons heralded by its partner photon, with homodyne tomographic technology.

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We observe the single-photon interference by a single-photon source generated from a spontaneous four-wave mixing process in a cold 85Rb atomic ensemble. By adjusting the coupling and pump power, we obtain two distinguished temporal modes for single photons. Through an unbalance Mach–Zehnder interferometer, these temporally shaped single photons interfere with themselves and produce constructive or destructive interference according to the phase in the single-photon wave packet. The interferometric results of these temporally shaped single photons match well with the theoretical simulation.