The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 08, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2006
Todd B. Pittman, Catonsville, MD (US);
James D. Franson, Ellicott City, MD (US);
Todd B. Pittman, Catonsville, MD (US);
James D. Franson, Ellicott City, MD (US);
The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (US);
Abstract
An optical switch and optical storage loop are used as the basis of a single-photon source and a quantum memory for photonic qubits. To operate as a single-photon source, the techniques include a source of a pair of photons, such as a parametric down-conversion crystal, which is known to emit photons in pairs. The detection of one member of the pair activates the switch, which re-routes the other member into the storage loop. The stored photon is then known to be circulating in the loop, and can be switched out of the loop at a later time chosen by the user, providing a single photon for potential use in a variety of quantum information processing applications. To operate as a quantum memory for photonic qubits, a single-photon in an arbitrary initial polarization state is coherently stored in the loop, and coherently switched out of the loop when needed.