Open AccessSingle-photon stored-light Ramsey interferometry using Rydberg polaritons
Author(s) -
Yuechun Jiao,
Nicholas L. R. Spong,
Oliver D. W. Hughes,
Chloe So,
Teodora Ilieva,
Kevin J. Weatherill,
Charles S. Adams
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics letters/optics index
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.524
H-Index - 272
eISSN - 1071-2763
pISSN - 0146-9592
DOI - 10.1364/ol.405143
Subject(s) - interferometry , physics , superposition principle , optics , photon , polariton , rydberg formula , quantum mechanics , ion , ionization
We demonstrate a single-photon stored-light interferometer, where a photon is stored in a laser-cooled atomic ensemble in the form of a Rydberg polariton with a spatial extent of 10×1×1µ m 3 . The photon is subject to a Ramsey sequence, i.e., "split" into a superposition of two paths. After a delay of up to 450 ns, the two paths are recombined to give an output dependent on their relative phase. The superposition time of 450 ns is equivalent to a free-space propagation distance of 135 m. We show that the interferometer fringes are sensitive to external fields and suggest that stored-light interferometry could be useful for localized sensing applications.