dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaObservation of Single-Photon Switching
| Authors | Yong-Fan Chen, Zen-Hsiang Tsai, Yu-Chen Liu, Ite A. Yu |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0501155 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0501155 |
Abstract
We report an experimental demonstration of single-photon switching in laser-cooled $^{87}$Rb atoms. A resonant probe pulse with an energy per unit area of one photon per $\lambda^2/2\pi$ propagates through the optically thick atoms. Its energy transmittance is greater than 63% or loss is less than $e^{-1}$ due to the effect of electromagnetically induced transparency. In the presence of a switching pulse with an energy per unit area of 1.4 photons per $\lambda^2/2\pi$, the energy transmittance of the same probe pulse becomes less than 37% or $e^{-1}$. This substantial reduction of the probe transmittance caused by single switching photons has potential applications in single-photon-level nonlinear optics and the manipulation of quantum information.
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"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:00:57.215000Z",
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"abstract": "We report an experimental demonstration of single-photon switching in\nlaser-cooled $^{87}$Rb atoms. A resonant probe pulse with an energy per unit\narea of one photon per $\\lambda^2/2\\pi$ propagates through the optically thick\natoms. Its energy transmittance is greater than 63% or loss is less than\n$e^{-1}$ due to the effect of electromagnetically induced transparency. In the\npresence of a switching pulse with an energy per unit area of 1.4 photons per\n$\\lambda^2/2\\pi$, the energy transmittance of the same probe pulse becomes less\nthan 37% or $e^{-1}$. This substantial reduction of the probe transmittance\ncaused by single switching photons has potential applications in\nsingle-photon-level nonlinear optics and the manipulation of quantum\ninformation.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0501155",
"authors": [
"Yong-Fan Chen",
"Zen-Hsiang Tsai",
"Yu-Chen Liu",
"Ite A. Yu"
],
"categories": [
"physics.atom-ph"
],
"title": "Observation of Single-Photon Switching",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0501155"
},
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"execution_id": "2353b047-b312-471f-9907-cf648dedd3cb",
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