Gorshkov, Alexey V.André, AxelFleischhauer, MichaelSørensen, Anders S.Lukin, Mikhail D.2019-10-032007Gorshkov, Alexey V., Axel André, Michael Fleischhauer, Anders S. Sørensen, and Mikhail D. Lukin. 2007. “Universal Approach to Optimal Photon Storage in Atomic Media.” Physical Review Letters 98 (12). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.98.123601.0031-90071079-71141092-0145http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41467468We present a universal physical picture for describing storage and retrieval of photon wave packets in a Lambda-type atomic medium. This physical picture encompasses a variety of different approaches to pulse storage ranging from adiabatic reduction of the photon group velocity and pulse-propagation control via off-resonant Raman fields to photon-echo-based techniques. Furthermore, we derive an optimal control strategy for storage and retrieval of a photon wave packet of any given shape. All these approaches, when optimized, yield identical maximum efficiencies, which only depend on the optical depth of the medium.en-USJournal Article2019-10-0310.1103/PhysRevLett.98.123601