Huanqian Loh

A High-Brightness Source of Narrowband, Identical-Photon Pairs

We generated narrowband pairs of nearly identical photons at a rate of 5 × 104 pairs per second from a laser-cooled atomic ensemble inside an optical cavity. A two-photon interference experiment demonstrated that the photons could be made 90% indistinguishable, a key requirement for quantum information-processing protocols. Used as a conditional single-photon source, the system operated near the fundamental limits on recovery efficiency (57%), Fourier transform–limited bandwidth, and pair-generation-rate–limited suppression of two-photon events (factor of 33 below the Poisson limit). Each photon had a spectral width of 1.1 megahertz, ideal for interacting with atomic ensembles that form the basis of proposed quantum memories and logic.

Influence of grating parameters on the linewidths of external-cavity diode lasers

We investigate experimentally the influence of the grating reflectivity, grating resolution, and diode facet antireflection (AR) coating on the intrinsic linewidth of an external-cavity diode laser built with a diffraction grating in a Littrow configuration. Grating lasers at 399, 780, and 852 nm are determined to have typical linewidths between 250 and 600 kHz from measurements of their frequency noise power spectral densities. The linewidths are little affected by the presence of an AR coating on the diode facet but narrow as the grating reflectivity and grating resolution are increased, with the resolution exerting a greater effect. We also use frequency noise measurements to characterize a laser mount with improved mechanical stability.

Second-scale nuclear spin coherence time of ultracold 23 Na 40 K molecules

Extending the coherence time of molecules Quantum properties of atoms and molecules can be exploited for precision measurements or quantum information processing. The complex state structure of molecules can be exploited, but it is hard to preserve the coherence between pairs of those states in applications. Park et al. created fermionic molecules of NaK in the rovibrational ground state that maintained coherence between their nuclear spin states on a time scale of 1 second. This long coherence time makes dipolar ultracold molecules a valuable quantum resource. Science, this issue p. 372 The use of nuclear spin states extends the coherence time of dipolar ultracold molecules, making them a valuable quantum resource. Coherence, the stability of the relative phase between quantum states, is central to quantum mechanics and its applications. For ultracold dipolar molecules at sub-microkelvin temperatures, internal states with robust coherence are predicted to offer rich prospects for quantum many-body physics and quantum information processing. We report the observation of stable coherence between nuclear spin states of ultracold fermionic sodium-potassium (NaK) molecules in the singlet rovibrational ground state. Ramsey spectroscopy reveals coherence times on the scale of 1 second; this enables high-resolution spectroscopy of the molecular gas. Collisional shifts are shown to be absent down to the 100-millihertz level. This work opens the door to the use of molecules as a versatile quantum memory and for precision measurements on dipolar quantum matter.