A single atom strongly coupled to a high-finesse optical-cavity is a versatile tool for quantum information processing. Utilized as a single-photon source, it allows one to generate single photons very efficiently in a well defined spatio-temporal mode. In a first experiment, polarization-control over the photons is shown. A time-resolved two-photon interference experiment proves the indistinguishability of these photons - required in various quantum information processing schemes. Moreover, in a second experiment, entanglement between the polarization of the emitted photon and the population of the atomic Zeeman levels is created. Subsequent state mapping of the atomic state onto another photon results in a pair of polarization-entangled photons emitted one after the other from the cavity. Although these schemes are in principle possible in free space, the cavity boosts the efficiency by several orders of magnitude.
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A single atom strongly coupled to a high-finesse optical-cavity is a versatile tool for quantum information processing. Utilized as a single-photon source, it allows one to generate single photons very efficiently in a well defined spatio-temporal mode. In a first experiment, polarization-control over the photons is shown. A time-resolved two-photon interference experiment proves the indistinguishability of these photons - required in various quantum information processing schemes. Moreover, in...
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