We present a proposal for storing and retrieving a continuous-variable quadripartite polarization-entangled cluster state, using macroscopic atomic ensembles in a magnetic field. The Larmor precession of the atomic spins leads to a symmetry between the atomic canonical operators. In this scheme, each of the four spatially separated pulses passes twice through the respective ensemble in order to map the polarization-entangled cluster state onto the long-lived atomic ensembles. The stored state can then be retrieved by another four read-out pulses, each crossing the respective ensemble twice. By calculating the variances, we analyzed the fidelities of the storage and retrieval, and our scheme is feasible under realistic experimental conditions.

• Received 4 January 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.84.022328