Multiplexed image storage by electromagnetically induced transparency in a solid

Abstract

We report on frequency-and angle-multiplexed image storage by electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a Pr 3+ :Y 2 SiO 5 crystal. Frequency multiplexing by EIT relies on simultaneous storage of light pulses in atomic coherences, driven in different frequency ensembles of the inhomogeneously broadened solid medium. Angular multiplexing by EIT relies on phase matching of the driving laser beams, which permits simultaneous storage of light pulses propagating under different angles into the crystal. We apply the multiplexing techniques to increase the storage capacity of the EIT-driven optical memory, in particular to implement multiplexed storage of larger two-dimensional amounts of data (images). We demonstrate selective storage and readout of images by frequency-multiplexed EIT and angular-multiplexed EIT, as well as the potential to combine both multiplexing approaches towards further enhanced storage capacities.

Confining atomic populations in space via stimulated Raman adiabatic passage in a doped solid

“…There are already some impressive results on implementations of quantum memories in rare-earth ion-doped crystals, reaching, e.g., storage efficiencies up to 76% [4], storage times up to 53 min [5] and fidelities of 99.9% [6]. In order to increase the capacity of the memory, i.e., its ability to store more than one qubit simultaneously, most approaches so far rely on temporal [7,8] or spectral [9] multiplexing. While storage of up to 1060 modes was demonstrated [8],…”

“…An alternative approach utilizes spatial multiplexing. Our team already implemented such multiplexing by exploiting the phase matching condition of the memory protocol to store information in overlapping interference patterns in the crystal [9]. However, the available angular resolution strongly limits this approach and it may suffer from cross-talk between information channels.…”

Electromagnetically induced self-imaging in four-level atomic system

“…In a four-level EIT medium, due to the effect of quantum interference, a weak probe field may have a very small absorption and steep dispersion when a coupling field and a signal field are applied to with an appropriate transition, respectively [8]. There exist some works on transverse effects in EIT, such as all-optical switching in a photonic crystal [9], dispersive optical nonlinearities [10], multiplexed image storage [11], optical storage [12], electromagnetically induced focusing [13], electromagnetically induced gratings [14,15], electromagnetically induced waveguides [16], transverse confinement of stationary light pulses [17], localized guiding modes [18], and spectral anomalies in slow light focusing [19]. However, studies of light propagation in cold atomic media with EIT are restricted to a one-dimensional configuration.…”

Electromagnetically Induced Self-Imaging in Four-Level Doppler Broadening Medium

“…[7] In the EIT medium, due to the effect of quantum interference, a weak probe field may have a very small absorption and steep dispersion when there is a coupling field and a signal field applied to appropriate transition respectively. [8] There are some works on the transverse effects in EIT, such as all-optical switching in a photonic crystal, [9] dispersive optical nonlinearities, [10] multiplexed image storage, [11] optical storage, [12] electromagnetically induced focusing, [13−15] electromagnetically induced gratings, [16,17] electromagnetically induced waveguides, [18] transverse confinement of stationary light pulses, [19] localized guiding modes, [20] spectral anomalies in slow light focusing, [21] four wave mixing, [22,23] and nonlinear properties. [24,25] However, studies of light propagation in cold atomic media with EIT are restricted to some practical applications.…”