Generation of single photons from an atom-cavity system

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a highly efficient, controllable single-photon source using a rubidium atom in a cavity, achieving record efficiencies and stable operation across various parameters, advancing quantum information applications.

Contribution

It introduces a combined theoretical and experimental approach to generate single photons with high efficiency and controllability using an atom-cavity system.

Findings

Photon generation efficiencies up to 56% on D2 line.

Output coupling efficiency of 89% achieved.

Efficiency remains stable across different pump powers and detunings.

Abstract

A single rubidium atom trapped within a high-finesse optical cavity is an efficient source of single photons. We theoretically and experimentally study single-photon generation using a vacuum stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. We experimentally achieve photon generation efficiencies of up to 34% and 56% on the D1 and D2 line, respectively. Output coupling with 89% results in record-high efficiencies for single photons in one spatiotemporally well-defined propagating mode. We demonstrate that the observed generation efficiencies are constant in a wide range of applied pump laser powers and virtual level detunings. This allows for independent control over the frequency and wave packet envelope of the photons without loss in efficiency. In combination with the long trapping time of the atom in the cavity, our system constitutes a significant advancement toward an on-demand, highly efficient single-photon source for quantum information processing tasks.