Towards a high-performance photonic quantum memory using Bose-Einstein condensate

The future quantum Internet relies on the long-distance distribution of quantum information via single-photon-level light that needs to be stored in quantum memories. However, developing a long-lived quantum memory, simultaneously featuring efficient, high-speed, and low-noise operation, has been an open challenge due to the intrinsic limitations of both storage platforms and light-matter interaction techniques. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate that the fundamentally distinct features of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) platform in combination with the unique advantages of the Autler-Townes-Splitting (ATS) technique overcomes this obstacle. In particular, the non-adiabatic character of the ATS protocol (leading to high-speed and low-noise operation) in conjunction with the intrinsically large atomic densities and ultra-low temperatures of the BEC platform (offering highly efficient and long-lived storage) opens up a new avenue towards high-performance quantum memories. Together with the recently developed space-based BEC systems, our approach brings satellite-based quantum networks closer to reality.