01668nas a2200169 4500008004100000022001400041245007000055210006900125260001300194490000600207520116200213100002201375700002001397700001901417700002501436856003701461 2024 eng d a2643-156400aOptimal function estimation with photonic quantum sensor networks0 aOptimal function estimation with photonic quantum sensor network c3/6/20240 v63 a

The problem of optimally measuring an analytic function of unknown local parameters each linearly coupled to a qubit sensor is well understood, with applications ranging from field interpolation to noise characterization. Here, we resolve a number of open questions that arise when extending this framework to Mach-Zehnder interferometers and quadrature displacement sensing. In particular, we derive lower bounds on the achievable mean square error in estimating a linear function of either local phase shifts or quadrature displacements. In the case of local phase shifts, these results prove, and somewhat generalize, a conjecture by Proctor et al. [arXiv:1702.04271 (2017)]. For quadrature displacements, we extend proofs of lower bounds to the case of arbitrary linear functions. We provide optimal protocols achieving these bounds up to small (multiplicative) constants and describe an algebraic approach to deriving new optimal protocols, possibly subject to additional constraints. Using this approach, we prove necessary conditions for the amount of entanglement needed for any optimal protocol for both local phase and displacement sensing.

1 aBringewatt, Jacob1 aEhrenberg, Adam1 aGoel, Tarushii1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2401.1647202080nas a2200193 4500008004100000245009100041210006900132260001500201520147600216100002501692700001301717700001401730700001901744700001601763700002101779700002501800700002401825856003701849 2023 eng d00aObservation of a finite-energy phase transition in a one-dimensional quantum simulator0 aObservation of a finiteenergy phase transition in a onedimension c10/30/20233 a

One of the most striking many-body phenomena in nature is the sudden change of macroscopic properties as the temperature or energy reaches a critical value. Such equilibrium transitions have been predicted and observed in two and three spatial dimensions, but have long been thought not to exist in one-dimensional (1D) systems. Fifty years ago, Dyson and Thouless pointed out that a phase transition in 1D can occur in the presence of long-range interactions, but an experimental realization has so far not been achieved due to the requirement to both prepare equilibrium states and realize sufficiently long-range interactions. Here we report on the first experimental demonstration of a finite-energy phase transition in 1D. We use the simple observation that finite-energy states can be prepared by time-evolving product initial states and letting them thermalize under the dynamics of a many-body Hamiltonian. By preparing initial states with different energies in a 1D trapped-ion quantum simulator, we study the finite-energy phase diagram of a long-range interacting quantum system. We observe a ferromagnetic equilibrium phase transition as well as a crossover from a low-energy polarized paramagnet to a high-energy unpolarized paramagnet in a system of up to 23 spins, in excellent agreement with numerical simulations. Our work demonstrates the ability of quantum simulators to realize and study previously inaccessible phases at finite energy density.

1 aSchuckert, Alexander1 aKatz, Or1 aFeng, Lei1 aCrane, Eleanor1 aDe, Arinjoy1 aHafezi, Mohammad1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aMonroe, Christopher uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2310.1986901625nas a2200229 4500008004100000245008800041210006900129260001400198520092400212100001801136700002101154700001601175700002101191700001601212700002201228700001801250700002501268700002101293700002001314700002401334856003701358 2021 eng d00aObservation of measurement-induced quantum phases in a trapped-ion quantum computer0 aObservation of measurementinduced quantum phases in a trappedion c6/10/20213 a

Many-body open quantum systems balance internal dynamics against decoherence from interactions with an environment. Here, we explore this balance via random quantum circuits implemented on a trapped ion quantum computer, where the system evolution is represented by unitary gates with interspersed projective measurements. As the measurement rate is varied, a purification phase transition is predicted to emerge at a critical point akin to a fault-tolerent threshold. We probe the "pure" phase, where the system is rapidly projected to a deterministic state conditioned on the measurement outcomes, and the "mixed" or "coding" phase, where the initial state becomes partially encoded into a quantum error correcting codespace. We find convincing evidence of the two phases and show numerically that, with modest system scaling, critical properties of the transition clearly emerge.

1 aNoel, Crystal1 aNiroula, Pradeep1 aZhu, Daiwei1 aRisinger, Andrew1 aEgan, Laird1 aBiswas, Debopriyo1 aCetina, Marko1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aGullans, Michael1 aHuse, David, A.1 aMonroe, Christopher uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2106.0588102060nas a2200217 4500008004100000245006500041210006400106260001400170520145900184100001501643700001201658700001501670700002001685700001301705700002001718700001501738700001201753700002501765700001501790856003701805 2021 eng d00aObservation of Stark many-body localization without disorder0 aObservation of Stark manybody localization without disorder c2/14/20213 a

Thermalization is a ubiquitous process of statistical physics, in which details of few-body observables are washed out in favor of a featureless steady state. Even in isolated quantum many-body systems, limited to reversible dynamics, thermalization typically prevails. However, in these systems, there is another possibility: many-body localization (MBL) can result in preservation of a non-thermal state. While disorder has long been considered an essential ingredient for this phenomenon, recent theoretical work has suggested that a quantum many-body system with a uniformly increasing field -- but no disorder -- can also exhibit MBL, resulting in `Stark MBL.' Here we realize Stark MBL in a trapped-ion quantum simulator and demonstrate its key properties: halting of thermalization and slow propagation of correlations. Tailoring the interactions between ionic spins in an effective field gradient, we directly observe their microscopic equilibration for a variety of initial states, and we apply single-site control to measure correlations between separate regions of the spin chain. Further, by engineering a varying gradient, we create a disorder-free system with coexisting long-lived thermalized and nonthermal regions. The results demonstrate the unexpected generality of MBL, with implications about the fundamental requirements for thermalization and with potential uses in engineering long-lived non-equilibrium quantum matter.

1 aMorong, W.1 aLiu, F.1 aBecker, P.1 aCollins, K., S.1 aFeng, L.1 aKyprianidis, A.1 aPagano, G.1 aYou, T.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aMonroe, C. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2102.0725001697nas a2200205 4500008004100000245010900041210006900150260001300219520100800232100003001240700002801270700003101298700002401329700001601353700001601369700002501385700002301410700002101433856003701454 2020 eng d00aOn-demand indistinguishable single photons from an efficient and pure source based on a Rydberg ensemble0 aOndemand indistinguishable single photons from an efficient and  c3/4/20203 a

Single photons coupled to atomic systems have shown to be a promising platform for developing quantum technologies. Yet a bright on-demand, highly pure and highly indistinguishable single-photon source compatible with atomic platforms is lacking. In this work, we demonstrate such a source based on a strongly interacting Rydberg system. The large optical nonlinearities in a blockaded Rydberg ensemble convert coherent light into a single-collective excitation that can be coherently retrieved as a quantum field. We observe a single-transverse-mode efficiency up to 0.18(2), g(2)=2.0(1.5)×10−4, and indistinguishability of 0.982(7), making this system promising for scalable quantum information applications. Accounting for losses, we infer a generation probability up to 0.40(4). Furthermore, we investigate the effects of contaminant Rydberg excitations on the source efficiency. Finally, we introduce metrics to benchmark the performance of on-demand single-photon sources. 

1 aOrnelas-Huerta, Dalia, P.1 aCraddock, Alexander, N.1 aGoldschmidt, Elizabeth, A.1 aHachtel, Andrew, J.1 aWang, Yidan1 aBienias, P.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aRolston, Steve, L.1 aPorto, James, V. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2003.0220201259nas a2200157 4500008004100000245007100041210006900112260001400181520077600195100001300971700001700984700001601001700002501017700002201042856003701064 2020 eng d00aOptical quantum memory with optically inaccessible noble-gas spins0 aOptical quantum memory with optically inaccessible noblegas spin c7/17/20203 a

Optical quantum memories, which store and preserve the quantum state of photons, rely on a coherent mapping of the photonic state onto matter states that are optically accessible. Here we outline a new physical mechanism to map the state of photons onto the long-lived but optically inaccessible collective state of noble-gas spins. The mapping employs the coherent spin-exchange interaction arising from random collisions with alkali vapor. We analyze optimal strategies for high-efficiency storage and retrieval of non-classical light at various parameter regimes. Based on these strategies, we identify feasible experimental conditions for realizing efficient quantum memories with noble-gas spins having hours-long coherence times at room temperature and above

1 aKatz, Or1 aReches, Eran1 aShaham, Roy1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aFirstenberg, Ofer uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2007.0877001302nas a2200157 4500008004100000245007300041210006900114260001400183520080100197100001800998700002201016700002001038700002401058700002501082856003701107 2020 eng d00aOptimal Measurement of Field Properties with Quantum Sensor Networks0 aOptimal Measurement of Field Properties with Quantum Sensor Netw c11/2/20203 a

We consider a quantum sensor network of qubit sensors coupled to a field f(x⃗ ;θ⃗ ) analytically parameterized by the vector of parameters θ⃗ . The qubit sensors are fixed at positions x⃗ 1,…,x⃗ d. While the functional form of f(x⃗ ;θ⃗ ) is known, the parameters θ⃗  are not. We derive saturable bounds on the precision of measuring an arbitrary analytic function q(θ⃗ ) of these parameters and construct the optimal protocols that achieve these bounds. Our results are obtained from a combination of techniques from quantum information theory and duality theorems for linear programming. They can be applied to many problems, including optimal placement of quantum sensors, field interpolation, and the measurement of functionals of parametrized fields.

1 aQian, Timothy1 aBringewatt, Jacob1 aBoettcher, Igor1 aBienias, Przemyslaw1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2011.0125901409nas a2200157 4500008004100000245006100041210006100102260001400163520091900177100002101096700002901117700002101146700002201167700002501189856003701214 2020 eng d00aOptimal Protocols in Quantum Annealing and QAOA Problems0 aOptimal Protocols in Quantum Annealing and QAOA Problems c3/19/20203 a

Quantum Annealing (QA) and the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) are two special cases of the following control problem: apply a combination of two Hamiltonians to minimize the energy of a quantum state. Which is more effective has remained unclear. Here we apply the framework of optimal control theory to show that generically, given a fixed amount of time, the optimal procedure has the pulsed (or "bang-bang") structure of QAOA at the beginning and end but can have a smooth annealing structure in between. This is in contrast to previous works which have suggested that bang-bang (i.e., QAOA) protocols are ideal. Through simulations of various transverse field Ising models, we demonstrate that bang-anneal-bang protocols are more common. The general features identified here provide guideposts for the nascent experimental implementations of quantum optimization algorithms.

1 aBrady, Lucas, T.1 aBaldwin, Christopher, L.1 aBapat, Aniruddha1 aKharkov, Yaroslav1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2003.0895201333nas a2200157 4500008004100000245008800041210006900129260001400198520082100212100001901033700002301052700002001075700001801095700002501113856003701138 2020 eng d00aOptimal state transfer and entanglement generation in power-law interacting systems0 aOptimal state transfer and entanglement generation in powerlaw i c10/6/20203 a

We present an optimal protocol for encoding an unknown qubit state into a multiqubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-like state and, consequently, transferring quantum information in large systems exhibiting power-law (1/rα) interactions. For all power-law exponents α between d and 2d+1, where d is the dimension of the system, the protocol yields a polynomial speedup for α>2d and a superpolynomial speedup for α≤2d, compared to the state of the art. For all α>d, the protocol saturates the Lieb-Robinson bounds (up to subpolynomial corrections), thereby establishing the optimality of the protocol and the tightness of the bounds in this regime. The protocol has a wide range of applications, including in quantum sensing, quantum computing, and preparation of topologically ordered states. 

1 aTran, Minh, C.1 aDeshpande, Abhinav1 aGuo, Andrew, Y.1 aLucas, Andrew1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2010.0293001912nas a2200265 4500008004100000245007900041210006900120260001500189520117500204100001601379700001501395700001201410700001501422700002001437700001101457700001301468700001901481700002001500700001701520700001501537700001701552700002501569700001501594856003701609 2019 eng d00aObservation of Domain Wall Confinement and Dynamics in a Quantum Simulator0 aObservation of Domain Wall Confinement and Dynamics in a Quantum c12/23/20193 a

Confinement is a ubiquitous mechanism in nature, whereby particles feel an attractive force that increases without bound as they separate. A prominent example is color confinement in particle physics, in which baryons and mesons are produced by quark confinement. Analogously, confinement can also occur in low-energy quantum many-body systems when elementary excitations are confined into bound quasiparticles. Here, we report the first observation of magnetic domain wall confinement in interacting spin chains with a trapped-ion quantum simulator. By measuring how correlations spread, we show that confinement can dramatically suppress information propagation and thermalization in such many-body systems. We are able to quantitatively determine the excitation energy of domain wall bound states from non-equilibrium quench dynamics. Furthermore, we study the number of domain wall excitations created for different quench parameters, in a regime that is difficult to model with classical computers. This work demonstrates the capability of quantum simulators for investigating exotic high-energy physics phenomena, such as quark collision and string breaking

1 aTan, W., L.1 aBecker, P.1 aLiu, F.1 aPagano, G.1 aCollins, K., S.1 aDe, A.1 aFeng, L.1 aKaplan, H., B.1 aKyprianidis, A.1 aLundgren, R.1 aMorong, W.1 aWhitsitt, S.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aMonroe, C. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/1912.1111702010nas a2200409 4500008004100000245006800041210006600109260001500175520084400190100001901034700002601053700002001079700002001099700002001119700001701139700002501156700002201181700001901203700001701222700002201239700002101261700002501282700001901307700002301326700001801349700001901367700002101386700002101407700001501428700002001443700002401463700001801487700002301505700001901528700001601547856003701563 2019 eng d00aOpportunities for Nuclear Physics & Quantum Information Science0 aOpportunities for Nuclear Physics Quantum Information Science c03/13/20193 a

his whitepaper is an outcome of the workshop Intersections between Nuclear Physics and Quantum Information held at Argonne National Laboratory on 28-30 March 2018 [www.phy.anl.gov/npqi2018/]. The workshop brought together 116 national and international experts in nuclear physics and quantum information science to explore opportunities for the two fields to collaborate on topics of interest to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, and more broadly to U.S. society and industry. The workshop consisted of 22 invited and 10 contributed talks, as well as three panel discussion sessions. Topics discussed included quantum computation, quantum simulation, quantum sensing, nuclear physics detectors, nuclear many-body problem, entanglement at collider energies, and lattice gauge theories.

1 aCloët, I., C.1 aDietrich, Matthew, R.1 aArrington, John1 aBazavov, Alexei1 aBishof, Michael1 aFreese, Adam1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aGrassellino, Anna1 aHafidi, Kawtar1 aJacob, Zubin1 aMcGuigan, Michael1 aMeurice, Yannick1 aMeziani, Zein-Eddine1 aMueller, Peter1 aMuschik, Christine1 aOsborn, James1 aOtten, Matthew1 aPetreczky, Peter1 aPolakovic, Tomas1 aPoon, Alan1 aPooser, Raphael1 aRoggero, Alessandro1 aSaffman, Mark1 aVanDevender, Brent1 aZhang, Jiehang1 aZohar, Erez uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/1903.0545302023nas a2200241 4500008004100000245007500041210006900116260001500185300001200200490000800212520128400220100001701504700002901521700002201550700002601572700002101598700002501619700002301644700001601667700002301683700002001706856005501726 2018 eng d00aObservation of three-photon bound states in a quantum nonlinear medium0 aObservation of threephoton bound states in a quantum nonlinear m c2018/02/16 a783-7860 v3593 a

Bound states of massive particles, such as nuclei, atoms or molecules, are ubiquitous in nature and constitute the bulk of the visible world around us. In contrast, photons typically only weakly influence each other due to their very weak interactions and vanishing mass. We report the observation of traveling three-photon bound states in a quantum nonlinear medium where the interactions between photons are mediated by atomic Rydberg states. In particular, photon correlation and conditional phase measurements reveal the distinct features associated with three-photon and two-photon bound states. Such photonic trimers and dimers can be viewed as quantum solitons with shape-preserving wavefunctions that depend on the constituent photon number. The observed bunching and strongly nonlinear optical phase are quantitatively described by an effective field theory (EFT) of Rydberg-induced photon-photon interactions, which demonstrates the presence of a substantial effective three-body force between the photons. These observations pave the way towards the realization, studies, and control of strongly interacting quantum many-body states of light.

1 aLiang, Qi-Yu1 aVenkatramani, Aditya, V.1 aCantu, Sergio, H.1 aNicholson, Travis, L.1 aGullans, Michael1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aThompson, Jeff, D.1 aChin, Cheng1 aLukin, Mikhail, D.1 aVuletic, Vladan uhttp://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6377/78301192nas a2200145 4500008004100000245007300041210006900114260001500183520071800198100002200916700002300938700002400961700002500985856003601010 2018 eng d00aOptimal and Secure Measurement Protocols for Quantum Sensor Networks0 aOptimal and Secure Measurement Protocols for Quantum Sensor Netw c2018/03/233 a

Studies of quantum metrology have shown that the use of many-body entangled states can lead to an enhancement in sensitivity when compared to product states. In this paper, we quantify the metrological advantage of entanglement in a setting where the quantity to be measured is a linear function of parameters coupled to each qubit individually. We first generalize the Heisenberg limit to the measurement of non-local observables in a quantum network, deriving a bound based on the multi-parameter quantum Fisher information. We then propose a protocol that can make use of GHZ states or spin-squeezed states, and show that in the case of GHZ states the procedure is optimal, i.e., it saturates our bound.

1 aEldredge, Zachary1 aFoss-Feig, Michael1 aRolston, Steven, L.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttp://arxiv.org/abs/1607.0464601686nas a2200181 4500008004100000245006900041210006900110260001500179490000700194520113900201100002001340700002401360700002201384700001801406700002501424700001801449856003701467 2018 eng d00aOptimization of photon storage fidelity in ordered atomic arrays0 aOptimization of photon storage fidelity in ordered atomic arrays c2018/08/310 v203 a

A major application for atomic ensembles consists of a quantum memory for light, in which an optical state can be reversibly converted to a collective atomic excitation on demand. There exists a well-known fundamental bound on the storage error, when the ensemble is describable by a continuous medium governed by the Maxwell-Bloch equations. The validity of this model can break down, however, in systems such as dense, ordered atomic arrays, where strong interference in emission can give rise to phenomena such as subradiance and "selective" radiance. Here, we develop a general formalism that finds the maximum storage efficiency for a collection of atoms with discrete, known positions, and a given spatial mode in which an optical field is sent. As an example, we apply this technique to study a finite two-dimensional square array of atoms. We show that such a system enables a storage error that scales with atom number Na like ∼(logNa)2/N2a, and that, remarkably, an array of just 4×4 atoms in principle allows for an efficiency comparable to a disordered ensemble with optical depth of around 600.

1 aManzoni, M., T.1 aMoreno-Cardoner, M.1 aAsenjo-Garcia, A.1 aPorto, J., V.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aChang, D., E. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/1710.0631201952nas a2200229 4500008004100000245009200041210006900133260001500202300001200217490000800229520128300237100001401520700001501534700001701549700002001566700001501586700001501601700002501616700001801641700001501659856004801674 2017 eng d00aObservation of a Many-Body Dynamical Phase Transition with a 53-Qubit Quantum Simulator0 aObservation of a ManyBody Dynamical Phase Transition with a 53Qu c2017/11/29 a601-6040 v5513 a

A quantum simulator is a restricted class of quantum computer that controls the interactions between quantum bits in a way that can be mapped to certain difficult quantum many-body problems. As more control is exerted over larger numbers of qubits, the simulator can tackle a wider range of problems, with the ultimate limit being a universal quantum computer that can solve general classes of hard problems. We use a quantum simulator composed of up to 53 qubits to study a non-equilibrium phase transition in the transverse field Ising model of magnetism, in a regime where conventional statistical mechanics does not apply. The qubits are represented by trapped ion spins that can be prepared in a variety of initial pure states. We apply a global long-range Ising interaction with controllable strength and range, and measure each individual qubit with near 99% efficiency. This allows the single-shot measurement of arbitrary many-body correlations for the direct probing of the dynamical phase transition and the uncovering of computationally intractable features that rely on the long-range interactions and high connectivity between the qubits.

1 aZhang, J.1 aPagano, G.1 aHess, P., W.1 aKyprianidis, A.1 aBecker, P.1 aKaplan, H.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aGong, Z., -X.1 aMonroe, C. uhttps://www.nature.com/articles/nature2465401571nas a2200133 4500008004100000245005700041210005400098260001500152520117000167100002101337700002501358700001701383856003701400 2017 eng d00aOut-of-time-order correlators in finite open systems0 aOutoftimeorder correlators in finite open systems c2017/04/273 a

We study out-of-time order correlators (OTOCs) of the form hAˆ(t)Bˆ(0)Cˆ(t)Dˆ(0)i for a quantum system weakly coupled to a dissipative environment. Such an open system may serve as a model of, e.g., a small region in a disordered interacting medium coupled to the rest of this medium considered as an environment. We demonstrate that for a system with discrete energy levels the OTOC saturates exponentially ∝ Paie −t/τi + const to a constant value at t → ∞, in contrast with quantum-chaotic systems which exhibit exponential growth of OTOCs. Focussing on the case of a two-level system, we calculate microscopically the decay times τi and the value of the saturation constant. Because some OTOCs are immune to dephasing processes and some are not, such correlators may decay on two sets of parametrically different time scales related to inelastic transitions between the system levels and to pure dephasing processes, respectively. In the case of a classical environment, the evolution of the OTOC can be mapped onto the evolution of the density matrix of two systems coupled to the same dissipative environment.

1 aSyzranov, S., V.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aGalitski, V. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/1704.0844202050nas a2200205 4500008004100000245008900041210006900130260001500199520143900214100001801653700001401671700001601685700001401701700001701715700001701732700001801749700002501767700001501792856003701807 2016 eng d00a{O}bservation of {P}rethermalization in {L}ong-{R}ange {I}nteracting {S}pin {C}hains0 aO bservation of P rethermalization in L ong R ange I nteracting  c2016/08/023 a

Statistical mechanics can predict thermal equilibrium states for most classical systems, but for an isolated quantum system there is no general understanding on how equilibrium states dynamically emerge from the microscopic Hamiltonian. For instance, quantum systems that are near-integrable usually fail to thermalize in an experimentally realistic time scale and, instead, relax to quasi-stationary prethermal states that can be described by statistical mechanics when approximately conserved quantities are appropriately included in a generalized Gibbs ensemble (GGE). Here we experimentally study the relaxation dynamics of a chain of up to 22 spins evolving under a long-range transverse field Ising Hamiltonian following a sudden quench. For sufficiently long-ranged interactions the system relaxes to a new type of prethermal state that retains a strong memory of the initial conditions. In this case, the prethermal state cannot be described by a GGE, but rather arises from an emergent double-well potential felt by the spin excitations. This result shows that prethermalization occurs in a significantly broader context than previously thought, and reveals new challenges for a generic understanding of the thermalization of quantum systems, particularly in the presence of long-range interactions.

1 aNeyenhuis, B.1 aSmith, J.1 aLee, A., C.1 aZhang, J.1 aRicherme, P.1 aHess, P., W.1 aGong, Z., -X.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aMonroe, C. uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/1608.0068101341nas a2200145 4500008004100000245004200041210004200083260001300125490000700138520094000145100002801085700002501113700002001138856003701158 2008 eng d00aOptimal light storage in atomic vapor0 aOptimal light storage in atomic vapor c2008/8/10 v783 a We study procedures for the optimization of efficiency of light storage and retrieval based on the dynamic form of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in warm Rb vapor. We present a detailed analysis of two recently demonstrated optimization protocols: a time-reversal-based iteration procedure, which finds the optimal input signal pulse shape for any given control field, and a procedure based on the calculation of an optimal control field for any given signal pulse shape. We verify that the two procedures are consistent with each other, and that they both independently achieve the maximum memory efficiency for any given optical depth. We observe good agreement with theoretical predictions for moderate optical depths (<25), while at higher optical depths the experimental efficiency falls below the theoretically predicted values. We identify possible effects responsible for this reduction in memory efficiency. 1 aPhillips, Nathaniel, B.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aNovikova, Irina uhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0805.3348v100956nas a2200145 4500008004100000245005600041210005600097260001400153490000700167520052600174100002000700700002800720700002500748856003700773 2008 eng d00aOptimal light storage with full pulse shape control0 aOptimal light storage with full pulse shape control c2008/8/200 v783 a We experimentally demonstrate optimal storage and retrieval of light pulses of arbitrary shape in atomic ensembles. By shaping auxiliary control pulses, we attain efficiencies approaching the fundamental limit and achieve precise retrieval into any predetermined temporal profile. Our techniques, demonstrated in warm Rb vapor, are applicable to a wide range of systems and protocols. As an example, we present their potential application to the creation of optical time-bin qubits and to controlled partial retrieval. 1 aNovikova, Irina1 aPhillips, Nathaniel, B.1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0805.1927v100417nas a2200133 4500008004100000245005600041210005500097300001400152490000700166100001600173700001900189700002500208856005000233 2008 eng d00aOptimal light storage with full pulse-shape control0 aOptimal light storage with full pulseshape control a021802(R)0 v781 aNovikova, I1 aPhillips, N, B1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V. uhttp://link.aps.org/abstract/PRA/v78/e021802/00824nas a2200205 4500008004100000245007200041210006900113300001100182490000900193100001300202700001200215700002500227700001600252700001600268700001900284700001900303700001600322700002000338856026000358 2008 eng d00aOptimizing Slow and Stored Light for Multidisciplinary Applications0 aOptimizing Slow and Stored Light for Multidisciplinary Applicati a69040C0 v69041 aKlein, M1 aXiao, Y1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aHohensee, M1 aLeung, C, D1 aBrowning, M, R1 aPhillips, D, F1 aNovikova, I1 aWalsworth, R, L uhttp://spie.org/x648.xml?product_id=772216&Search_Origin=QuickSearch&Search_Results_URL=http://spie.org/x1636.xml&Alternate_URL=http://spie.org/x18509.xml&Alternate_URL_Name=timeframe&Alternate_URL_Value=Exhibitors&UseJavascript=1&Please_Wait_URL=http://s00984nas a2200181 4500008004100000245005700041210005700098260001400155490000700169520043900176100002000615700002500635700002400660700002500684700002300709700002600732856004400758 2007 eng d00aOptimal control of light pulse storage and retrieval0 aOptimal control of light pulse storage and retrieval c2007/6/150 v983 a We demonstrate experimentally a procedure to obtain the maximum efficiency for the storage and retrieval of light pulses in atomic media. The procedure uses time reversal to obtain optimal input signal pulse-shapes. Experimental results in warm Rb vapor are in good agreement with theoretical predictions and demonstrate a substantial improvement of efficiency. This optimization procedure is applicable to a wide range of systems. 1 aNovikova, Irina1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aPhillips, David, F.1 aSorensen, Anders, S.1 aLukin, Mikhail, D.1 aWalsworth, Ronald, L. uhttp://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0702266v100624nas a2200169 4500008004100000245005800041210005800099300001100157490000900168100001600177700002500193700001900218700001200237700001300249700002000262856017200282 2007 eng d00aOptimization of slow and stored light in atomic vapor0 aOptimization of slow and stored light in atomic vapor a64820M0 v64821 aNovikova, I1 aGorshkov, Alexey, V.1 aPhillips, D, F1 aXiao, Y1 aKlein, M1 aWalsworth, R, L uhttp://spiedigitallibrary.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=PSISDG00648200000164820M000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=Yes&bproc=volrange&scode=6400%20-%206499