Solid-state spins such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center are promising platforms for large-scale quantum networks. Despite the optical interface of NV center system, however, the significant attenuation of its zero-phonon-line photon in optical fiber prevents the network extended to long distances. Therefore a telecom-wavelength photon interface would be essential to reduce the photon loss in transporting quantum information. Here we propose an efficient scheme for coupling telecom photon to NV center ensembles mediated by rare-earth doped crystal. Specifically, we proposed protocols for high fidelity quantum state transfer and entanglement generation with parameters within reach of current technologies. Such an interface would bring new insights into future implementations of long-range quantum network with NV centers in diamond acting as quantum nodes.
IntroductionQuantum network based on solid-state quantum memories are a promising platform for long range quantum communication and remote sensing [1][2][3]. Quantum nodes in a network require robust storage, high fidelity and efficient interface to achieve these demanding applications. Among many physical platforms, nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers stand out for their very long coherence time in the ground states, making them ideal systems to be used as stationary nodes for quantum computer or sensor networks. Microwave and optical interfaces have provided the NV system with a flexible toolset of control knobs, as required in many emerging technologies. This has enabled a recent demonstration of deterministic entanglement generation between two NV centers in diamond [4] with an entanglement rate of about 40 Hz. Despite these successes, NV centers present some shortcomings for quantum communication applications: the NV spin has a zero phonon line (ZPL) at 637 nm and it only corresponds to 3% of the total emission.The propagation loss in optical fibers at this wavelength (8 dB/km) is much larger compared with telecommunication ranges (less than 0.2 dB/km). To extend the entanglement generation scheme to large distance would thus benefit from using a telecom photon interface. The conventional way to overcome this limit is to perform parametric down conversion to convert the photons into telecom-wavelength photons (tele-photons), as demonstrated in several systems including quantum dots [5][6][7], trapped ions [8-10] and atomic ensembles [11][12][13].The low emission rate into the ZPL limits the rate of entanglement generation. The emission fraction into the ZPL could be enhanced by a microcavity via the Purcell effect [14], while a difference frequency generation, used in recent experiments, achieved conversion of single NV photons into telecom wavelength with 17% efficiency [15,16]. However, the signal-to-noise ratio was limited by pump-induced noise in the conversion process [17,18] and resonance driving at cryogenic temperature is required, preventing room temperature applications.An alternative approach is to work with the microwave interface of NV centers and then ...