TY - JOUR T1 - Optimal light storage with full pulse shape control JF - Physical Review A Y1 - 2008 A1 - Irina Novikova A1 - Nathaniel B. Phillips A1 - Alexey V. Gorshkov AB - We experimentally demonstrate optimal storage and retrieval of light pulses of arbitrary shape in atomic ensembles. By shaping auxiliary control pulses, we attain efficiencies approaching the fundamental limit and achieve precise retrieval into any predetermined temporal profile. Our techniques, demonstrated in warm Rb vapor, are applicable to a wide range of systems and protocols. As an example, we present their potential application to the creation of optical time-bin qubits and to controlled partial retrieval. VL - 78 UR - http://arxiv.org/abs/0805.1927v1 CP - 2 J1 - Phys. Rev. A U5 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.78.021802 ER -