Photon storage in {lambda}-type optically dense atomic media. III. Effects of inhomogeneous broadening

Journal Article · Sat Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.76.033806· OSTI ID:21020576

Gorshkov, Alexey V; Andre, Axel; Lukin, Mikhail D ^[1]; Soerensen, Anders S ^[2]

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1. Physics Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States)
2. QUANTOP, Danish National Research Foundation Centre of Quantum Optics, Niels Bohr Institute, DK-2100 Copenhagen O (Denmark)

In a recent paper [Gorshkov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 123601 (2007)] and in the two preceding papers [Gorshkov et al., this issue, Phys. Rev. A 76, 033804 (2006); 76, 033805 (2006)], we used a universal physical picture to optimize and demonstrate equivalence between a wide range of techniques for storage and retrieval of photon wave packets in homogeneously broadened {lambda}-type atomic media, including the adiabatic reduction of the photon group velocity, pulse-propagation control via off-resonant Raman techniques, and photon-echo-based techniques. In the present paper, we generalize this treatment to include inhomogeneous broadening. In particular, we consider the case of Doppler-broadened atoms and assume that there is a negligible difference between the Doppler shifts of the two optical transitions. In this situation, we show that, at high enough optical depth, all atoms contribute coherently to the storage process as if the medium were homogeneously broadened. We also discuss the effects of inhomogeneous broadening in solid state samples. In this context, we discuss the advantages and limitations of reversing the inhomogeneous broadening during the storage time, as well as suggest a way for achieving high efficiencies with a nonreversible inhomogeneous profile.

• OSTI ID: 21020576
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 76; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATOMS
CONTROL
DOPPLER BROADENING
DOPPLER EFFECT
OPTICS
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
PHOTONS
PULSES
RAMAN EFFECT
SOLIDS
STORAGE
VELOCITY
WAVE PACKETS
WAVE PROPAGATION