Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and Light Storage in an Atomic Mott Insulator

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We experimentally demonstrate electromagnetically induced transparency and light storage with ultracold 87Rb atoms in a Mott insulating state in a three dimensional optical lattice.

• We have observed light storage times of about 240 ms, to our knowledge the longest ever achieved in ultracold atomic samples.
• Using the differential light shift caused by a spatially inhomogeneous far detuned light field we imprint a "phase gradient" across the atomic sample, resulting in controlled angular redirection of the retrieved light pulse.