Quantum Routing of Single Photons with a Cyclic Three-Level System

Abstract

We propose an experimentally accessible single-photon routing scheme using a △-type three-level atom embedded in quantum multichannels composed of coupled-resonator waveguides. Via the on-demand classical field being applied to the atom, the router can extract a single photon from the incident channel, and then redirect it into another. The efficient function of the perfect reflection of the single-photon signal in the incident channel is rooted in the coherent resonance and the existence of photonic bound states.

Controllable single-photon frequency converter via a one-dimensional waveguide

“…We would remark that the V -type three-level system has been also used in Ref. [18], where the carried frequencies of photons in two channels are the same because only a single atom ground state is involved. Compared to the previous schemes [18], our scheme has the following two advantages: (i) We would apply only one single waveguide, which can be realized more easily with the current experimental technologies.…”

“…When the three-level system is applied as a scatter [18][19][20], the photons can be transferred from one channel to another, and the carried frequency in different channels can be same or different, depending on whether the atom experiences the internal state transition in the scattering process or not. In present study, we aim to study a single-photon frequency converter mechanism in a single channel which is realized with waveguide.…”

A Single-Photon Router in Quantum Fluctuation of Field

“…Many quantum information protocols such as quantum cryptography [6] and quantum networks [7] require single-photon. A single-photon quantum router plays a key role in quantum information science [8][9][10][11][12][13]. Single-photon routers receive high interests by both applied researchers [14,15] and theoreticians [16].…”

A controllable single photon beam-splitter as a node of a quantum network

“…Some of these include experimental demonstration of micro-fabricated optical cavities with single atoms efficiently coupling input-output modes of a one-dimensional tapered fiber [25] or redirecting single and bi-photons in different output modes [26], superconducting transmon qubits redirecting microwave photons in separate outputs using quantum interference [27] or proposals of opto-mechanical systems routing photons forward or backward [29] or coupled resonator waveguides routing photons in orthogonal directions [30].…”

“…A variety of physical systems have been explored as possible candidates towards realizing these effective nodes which includes ion-chains [6,7], optical qubits [8][9][10][11], Josephson junction qubits [12,13], spin and charge qubits in quantum dots [14,15] and electromagnetic cavities with trapped atoms [16][17][18]. For a quantum network, while single photons connect these nodes robustly, the nodes perform physical operations including storing [24] and routing of photons [25,[27][28][29][30], entangling remote locations [22,23] or performing basic gate operations [1,2].…”