Open AccessReading the phase of a Raman excitation with a multi-state atomic interferometer
Author(s) -
Pietro Lombardi,
F. P. Schaefer,
I. Herrera,
S. Cherukattil,
Jovana Petrovic,
Cosimo Lovecchio,
F. Marín,
F. S. Cataliotti
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.019141
Subject(s) - atomic coherence , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , interferometry , superposition principle , optics , physics , atom interferometer , raman spectroscopy , electromagnetically induced transparency , quantum optics , coherent states , photonics , qubit , laser , quantum , astronomical interferometer , quantum mechanics
Atomic memories for flying photonic qubits are an essential ingredient for many applications like e.g. quantum repeaters. Verification of the coherent transfer of information from a light field to an atomic superposition is usually obtained using an optical read-out. In this paper we report the direct detection of the atomic coherence by means of atom interferometry. We experimentally verified both that a bichromatic laser field closing a Raman transition imprints a distinct, controllable phase on the atomic coherence and that it can be recovered after a variable time delay.