ar X iv : q ua nt - p h / 06 08 22 9 v 1 2 9 A ug 2 00 6 Remote preparation of an atomic quantum memory

Storage and distribution of quantum information are key elements of quantum information processing and quantum communication. Here, using atom-photon entanglement as the main physical resource, we experimentally demonstrate the preparation of a distant atomic quantum memory. Applying a quantum teleportation protocol on a locally prepared state of a photonic qubit, we realized this so-called remote state preparation on a single, optically trapped Rb atom. We evaluated the performance of this scheme by the full tomography of the prepared atomic state, reaching an average fidelity of 82%.