Physicists Turn Rubidium Atom Into a Single-Photon Server

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A single atom trapped in a cavity generates a single photon after being triggered by a laser pulse. After the source is characterised the subsequent photons can be distributed to a user. Image: Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
A single atom trapped in a cavity generates a single photon after being triggered by a laser pulse. After the source is characterised, the subsequent photons can be distributed to a user. Image: Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics

Every time you switch on a light bulb, 10 to the power of 15 visible photons, the elementary particles of light, are illuminating the room in every second. If that is too many for you, light a candle. If that is still too many, and say, you just want one and not more than one photon every time you press the button, you will have to work a little harder.


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