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We suggest an all-optical quantum memory scheme which is based on the off-resonant Raman interaction of a signal quantum field and a strong control field in a three-level atomic medium in the case where the control field has a spatially varying frequency across the beam, called a spatial chirp. We show that the effect of such a spatial chirp is analogous to the effect of a controllable reversible inhomogeneous broadening of the atomic transition used in the gradient echo memory scheme. The proposed scheme does not require temporal modulation of the control field or the atomic levels and can be realized without additional electric or magnetic fields. This means that materials demonstrating neither linear Stark nor Zeeman effects can be used and/or materials which are placed in specific external fields remain undisturbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scheme for spatial multimode quantum memory is developed such that spatial-temporal structure of a weak signal pulse can be stored and recalled via cavity-assisted off-resonant Raman interaction with a strong angular-modulated control field in an extended Λ-type atomic ensemble. It is shown that effective multimode storage is possible when the Raman coherence spatial grating involves wave vectors with different longitudinal components relative to the paraxial signal field. The possibilities of implementing the scheme in the solid-state materials are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous change of the propagation direction of a classical control field in the process of its off-resonant Raman interaction with a weak signal field in a three-level atomic medium is suggested for quantum storage of a single-photon wave packet. It is shown that due to the phase-matching condition such an angular control allows one to reversibly map the single-photon wave packet to the Raman spatial coherence grating. Thus, quantum storage and retrieval can be realized without using inhomogeneous broadening of the atomic transitions or manipulating the amplitude of the control field. Under some conditions the proposed scheme proves to be mathematically analogous to the quantum storage scheme based on controlled reversible inhomogeneous broadening of the atomic states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Off-resonant Raman interaction of a single-photon wave packet and a classical control field in an atomic medium with controlled refractive index is investigated. It is shown that a continuous change of refractive index during the interaction leads to the mapping of a single photon state to a superposition of atomic collective excitations (spin waves) with different wave vectors and vice versa. The suitability of refractive-index control for developing multichannel quantum memories is discussed and possible schemes of implementation are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An all-optical method of setting a disordered password on different schemes of photonic memory is theoretically studied. While photons are regarded as ideal information carriers, it is imperative to implement such data protection on all-optical storage. However, we wish to address the intrinsic risk of data breaches in existing schemes of photonic memory. We theoretically demonstrate a protocol using spatially disordered laser fields to encrypt data stored on an optical memory, namely, encrypted photonic memory. To address the broadband storage, we also investigate a scheme of disordered echo memory with a high fidelity approaching unity. The proposed method increases the difficulty for the eavesdropper to retrieve the stored photon without the preset password even when the randomized and stored photon state is nearly perfectly cloned. Our results pave ways to significantly reduce the exposure of memories, required for long-distance communication, to eavesdropping and therefore restrict the optimal attack on communication protocols. The present scheme also increases the sensitivity of detecting any eavesdropper and so raises the security level of photonic information technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]