# Stationary light in atomic media

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the concept of stationary light in atomic media, discussing experimental demonstrations, theoretical framework, and potential applications in quantum information processing, especially for all-optical phase gates.

## Contribution

It provides a unified theoretical framework for stationary light and discusses its experimental realization and applications in quantum information technology.

## Key findings

- Stationary light can be achieved with zero group velocity in atomic ensembles.
- The paper reviews multiple experimental demonstrations of stationary light.
- Potential for stationary light to enable all-optical quantum phase gates.

## Abstract

When ensembles of atoms interact with coherent light fields a great many interesting and useful effects can be observed. In particular, the group velocity of the coherent fields can be modified dramatically. Electromagnetically induced transparency is perhaps the best known example, giving rise to very slow light. Careful tuning of the optical fields can also produce stored light where a light field is mapped completely into a coherence of the atomic ensemble. In contrast to stored light, in which the optical field is extinguished, stationary light is a bright field of light with a group velocity of zero. Stationary light has applications in situations where it is important to maintain an optical field, such as attempts to engineer large nonlinear interactions. In this paper we review the stationary light demonstrations published to date and provide a unified theoretical framework that describes the experimental observations. We also discuss possible applications of stationary light with a particular focus on all-optical phase gates for quantum information technology.