Photon-echo quantum memory in solid state systems

Many applications of quantum communication crucially depend oil reversible transfer of quantum states between light and matter Motivated by rapid recent developments in theory and experiment, we review research related to quantum memory based oil a photon-echo approach in solid state material with emphasis on use in a quantum repeater After introducing quantum communication, the quantum repeater concept. and properties of a quantum memory required to be useful in a quantum repeater, we describe the historical development from spin echoes, discovered in 1950. to photon-echo quantum memory We present a simple theoretical description of the ideal protocol, and comment oil the impact of a non-ideal realization Oil Its quantum nature We extensively discuss rare-earth-ion doped crystals and glasses as material candidates, elaborate oil traditional photon-echo experiments as a test-bed for quantum State storage, and describe the current state-of-the-art of photon-echo quantum memory Finally, we give a brief outlook On Current research.