Recycling Reflections for Perfect Photon Capture

Abstract

Efficient photon capture in optical cavities is essential for quantum networks and computing, yet single-pass methods suffer from uncaptured reflections due to finite capture windows and coupling strengths, precluding perfect transfer of arbitrary photonic states. We introduce a two-pass `pitch-and-catch' method that recycles initial reflections to achieve perfect capture of arbitrary pulses in the noiseless regime and enhances fidelity under intrinsic losses. The method extends to photon emission, enabling arbitrary pulse shaping. This advance offers significant improvements for quantum repeaters, memories, and transduction, enhancing the toolkit for quantum information processing.