arXiv:1406.4049 [quant-ph]AbstractReferencesReviewsResources
Quantum interference in the absorption and emission of single photons by a single ion
Michael Schug, Christoph Kurz, Pascal Eich, Jan Huwer, Philipp Müller, Jürgen Eschner
Published 2014-06-16, updated 2014-08-18Version 2
We investigate quantum beats in the arrival-time distribution of single photons from a single trapped $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ion, revealing their fundamentally different physical origins in two distinct experimental situations: In a $\Lambda$-type level scheme the interference of two 854-nm absorption amplitudes suppresses and enhances the emission process of Raman-scattered 393-nm photons; in a V-type level scheme the interference of two 393-nm emission amplitudes causes a rotation of their dipole emission pattern resulting in a temporal modulation of the detected photons. For both cases we demonstrate coherent control over the quantum-beat phase through the phases of the atomic and photonic input states, which also allows controlled adjustment of the total photon detection efficiency.