Coupling light to a nuclear spin gas with a two-photon linewidth of five millihertz.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33811073.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abe9164 and PMC identifier 11057697.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
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Abstract
Nuclear spins of noble gases feature extremely long coherence times but are inaccessible to optical photons. Here, we realize a coherent interface between light and noble-gas spins that is mediated by alkali atoms. We demonstrate the optical excitation of the noble-gas spins and observe the coherent back action on the light in the form of high-contrast two-photon spectra. We report on a record two-photon linewidth of 5 ± 0.7 mHz above room temperature, corresponding to a 1-min coherence time. This experiment provides a demonstration of coherent bidirectional coupling between light and noble-gas spins, rendering their long-lived spin coherence accessible for manipulations in the optical domain.