Bit selective erasure of photon-echo data using Ti : S and dye laser systems: a comparative analysis

It is investigated how the erasure efficiency for a single bit of data, sto red using photon echoes, depends on the data writing time and data storage time. A comparative analysis of the erasure efficiency using a Ti:S laser s ystem and a ring dye laser system is performed. The results clearly establi sh that the Ti:S laser system, which has a narrower line width than the dye laser system, could be used for efficient erasure over a much larger range of data writing and data storage times. A simple threshold detection-based scheme to convert the photon-echo signals into bits is also used to compar e the performances of the two laser systems. A surprising but encouraging r esult was that it may not be absolutely necessary to have a very high erasu re efficiency in an operable photon-echo storage system. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.