Experimental tailoring of a three-level Λ system in Tm3+:YAG -: art. no. 085112

Quantum information transfer from light to atom ensembles and vice versa has both basic and practical importance. Among the relevant topics let us mention entanglement and decoherence of macroscopic systems, together with applications to quantum memory for long distance quantum cryptography. Although the first experimental demonstrations have been performed in atomic vapors and clouds, rare earth ion doped crystals are also interesting media for such processes. In this paper we address Tm3+ ions capability to behave as three-level Lambda systems, a key ingredient to convert optical excitation into a spontaneous-emission-free spin wave. Indeed Tm3+ falls within reach of light sources that can be stabilized easily to the required degree. In the absence of zero-field hyperfine structure we apply an external magnetic field to lift the nuclear spin degeneracy in Tm3+:YAG. We experimentally determine the gyromagnetic tensor components with the help of spectral hole-burning techniques. Then appropriate orientation of the applied field enables us to optimize the transition probability ratio along the two legs of the Lambda. The resulting three-level Lambda system should suit quantum information processing requirements.