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Symmetry-protected collisions between strongly interacting photons.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Thompson, JD; Nicholson, TL; Liang, Q-Y; Cantu, SH; Venkatramani, AV; Choi, S; Fedorov, IA; Viscor, D; Pohl, T; Lukin, MD; Vuletić, V
Published in: Nature
February 2017

Realizing robust quantum phenomena in strongly interacting systems is one of the central challenges in modern physical science. Approaches ranging from topological protection to quantum error correction are currently being explored across many different experimental platforms, including electrons in condensed-matter systems, trapped atoms and photons. Although photon-photon interactions are typically negligible in conventional optical media, strong interactions between individual photons have recently been engineered in several systems. Here, using coherent coupling between light and Rydberg excitations in an ultracold atomic gas, we demonstrate a controlled and coherent exchange collision between two photons that is accompanied by a π/2 phase shift. The effect is robust in that the value of the phase shift is determined by the interaction symmetry rather than the precise experimental parameters, and in that it occurs under conditions where photon absorption is minimal. The measured phase shift of 0.48(3)π is in excellent agreement with a theoretical model. These observations open a route to realizing robust single-photon switches and all-optical quantum logic gates, and to exploring novel quantum many-body phenomena with strongly interacting photons.

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Published In

Nature

DOI

EISSN

1476-4687

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

February 2017

Volume

542

Issue

7640

Start / End Page

206 / 209

Related Subject Headings

  • General Science & Technology
 

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Thompson, J. D., Nicholson, T. L., Liang, Q.-Y., Cantu, S. H., Venkatramani, A. V., Choi, S., … Vuletić, V. (2017). Symmetry-protected collisions between strongly interacting photons. Nature, 542(7640), 206–209. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20823
Thompson, Jeff D., Travis L. Nicholson, Qi-Yu Liang, Sergio H. Cantu, Aditya V. Venkatramani, Soonwon Choi, Ilya A. Fedorov, et al. “Symmetry-protected collisions between strongly interacting photons.Nature 542, no. 7640 (February 2017): 206–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20823.
Thompson JD, Nicholson TL, Liang Q-Y, Cantu SH, Venkatramani AV, Choi S, et al. Symmetry-protected collisions between strongly interacting photons. Nature. 2017 Feb;542(7640):206–9.
Thompson, Jeff D., et al. “Symmetry-protected collisions between strongly interacting photons.Nature, vol. 542, no. 7640, Feb. 2017, pp. 206–09. Epmc, doi:10.1038/nature20823.
Thompson JD, Nicholson TL, Liang Q-Y, Cantu SH, Venkatramani AV, Choi S, Fedorov IA, Viscor D, Pohl T, Lukin MD, Vuletić V. Symmetry-protected collisions between strongly interacting photons. Nature. 2017 Feb;542(7640):206–209.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nature

DOI

EISSN

1476-4687

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

February 2017

Volume

542

Issue

7640

Start / End Page

206 / 209

Related Subject Headings

  • General Science & Technology