Doubly-heralded single-photon absorption by a single atom

Abstract

We report on a single-photon-to-single-atom interface, where a single photon generated by Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion (SPDC) is absorbed by a single trapped ion. The photon is heralded by its time-correlated partner generated in the SPDC process, while the absorption event is heralded by a single photon emitted in its course. Coincidence detection marks doubly-heralded absorption, enabling photon-to-atom quantum state transfer [1, 2]. Background in the coincidence measurement is strongly suppressed by a new method that discriminates real absorption events from dark count-induced coincidences.