High efficiency photon counting using stopped light
摘要
Single-photon detection and photon counting play a central role in a large number of quantum communication and computation protocols. While the efficiency of state-of-the-art photo-detectors is well below the desired limits, quantum state measurements in trapped ions can be carried out with efficiencies approaching 100%. Here, we propose a method that can in principle achieve ideal photon counting, by combining the techniques of photonic quantum memory and ion-trap fluorescence detection: after mapping the quantum state of a propagating light pulse onto metastable collective excitations of a trapped cold atomic gas, it is possible to monitor the resonance fluorescence induced by an additional laser field that only couples to the metastable excited state. Even with a photon collection/detection efficiency as low as 10%, it is possible to achieve photon counting with efficiency approaching 100%.
引用
@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0205196,
title = {High efficiency photon counting using stopped light},
author = {A. Imamoglu},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0205196},
year = {2009}
}
备注
4 pages