Broadband and Large-Multimode Quantum Optical Storage with Rare-Earth Ions in Solids

Abstract

Broadband quantum memory devices are essential elements for future quantum networks. Here we propose a broadband quantum memory scheme called Hole Anti-hole Grating Echo Memory (HAGEM) for rare-earth ions in solids, which can be implemented with most of the present rare-earth ions hosted in various types of solids. Using HAGEM, a quantum memory device with one billion temporal modes per second can be developed with current available technologies. To validate the memory protocol, we conducted some proof-of-concept experiments. We provide a Eu$^\text{{3+}}$ molecular complex with special hyperfine level structures of which the hyperfine level separations are in a specific mathematical correlation that can be obtained by harnessing chemical engineering. Using the proposed memory protocol and material, we experimentally demonstrate a single-mode quantum optical storage efficiency of 14.9% and a memory bandwidth of 200MHz, which can easily be extended to a few GHz. In addition, a multi-mode storage of four temporal modes is achieved with a storage efficiency of 1.3%. Broadband&large-multimode quantum memory device with a long storage time enabled by HAGEM integrating with the current available entangled photon pair source and tunable delay lines, a quantum repeater network with an entanglement distribution rate on the order of 1kHz - 10kHz can be created with a communication distance around 100km. This will greatly facilitate the development of quantum networks in near future.