Artificial atoms can do more than atoms: Deterministic single photon subtraction from arbitrary light fields

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how artificial atoms with controlled dephasing can absorb single photons from arbitrary light fields, enabling advanced quantum devices like photon transistors and non-classical light state generation.

Contribution

It introduces a method for controlled photon absorption using artificial atoms with dephasing, surpassing natural atoms in photon-matter interaction capabilities.

Findings

Controlled photon absorption from arbitrary light fields achieved.

Potential for high-fidelity n-photon counters demonstrated.

Applications include single photon transistors and non-classical state creation.

Abstract

We study the interplay of photons interacting with an artificial atom in the presence of a controlled dephasing. Such artifical atoms consisting of several independent scatterer can exhibit remarkable properties superior to single atoms with a prominent example being a superatom based on Rydberg blockade. We demonstrate that the induced dephasing allows for the controlled absorption of a single photon from an arbitrary incoming probe field. This unique tool in photon-matter interaction opens a way for building novel quantum devices and several potential applications like a single photon transistor, high fidelity n-photon counters, or for the creation of non-classical states of light by photon subtraction are presented.