Travelling Dark State Polariton as a Viable Quantum Memory in a Solid-State Medium

Abstract

We theorize a quantum memory based on the dark-state polariton field, formed by the superposition of atomic and photonic states of a travelling probe laser pulse under the application of standing wave modes of a dominant control laser pulse using a lambda-level scheme Electromagnetically Induced Transparency in a solid medium. We show how an enhancement in the storage time for the pulse is achieved by eliminating pulse broadening due to diffusion. At last, we propose an experiment that can help realize the storage of a probe pulse in the hyperfine levels $^3\text{H}_4 \leftrightarrow ^1\text{D}_2$ of $\text{Pr}^{3+}:\text{Y}_2\text{SiO}_5$, cryogenically cooled at $4.5\text{ K}$. We also discuss multiple applications the storage of the quantum states the probe pulse with a prolonged time interval must have.