Storage and retrieval of optical skyrmions with topological characteristics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the first experimental storage and retrieval of optical skyrmions in a quantum memory, preserving their topological properties despite perturbations, advancing topologically protected photonic technologies.

Contribution

First experimental demonstration of storing optical skyrmions in a cold atomic vapor while maintaining their topological invariants during storage.

Findings

Skyrmion number remains invariant for microsecond storage times.

Robustness of skyrmion topological properties against perturbations.

Successful use of electromagnetically induced transparency for topological light storage.

Abstract

Optical skyrmions are topological structures of light whose defining property, the skyrmion number, is robust against perturbations. This makes them attractive for applications in quantum information storage, where resilience to decoherence is paramount. However, their preservation during coherent storage remains unexplored. We report the first experimental demonstration of storing and retrieving optical skyrmions in a cold $^{87}$Rb vapor using a dual-path electromagnetically induced transparency memory. Crucially, we show that the skyrmion number remains invariant for storage times up to several microseconds, even when subjected to imbalanced loss between the two paths and substantial perturbations in control beam power. Our work demonstrates the survival of a non-trivial topological invariant in a quantum memory, marking a significant step towards topologically protected photonic technologies.