Is it possible to store entangled photons for a period of time, and then use them later?

Theoretically I belive the answer is yes, however practically its very hard to store a photon.

 

I don't know if the photon interacting with atoms effects the entanglement, although probably not because otherwise it would have to be done in a vacum and I dont think it is, although as I said, I'm not sure.

Any (cohesive) interaction whatsoever would colapse the wavefunction and therefore colapse the superposition. As a result the entanglment will be dismissed..

The particle "needs" a defenite state when it hits the atom. I know it's nuts.. But that's qunatum mechanics in my understanding.

 

There is no difference between checking the particle's state, and a casual interaction between a particle and an atom. Both colapse the wavefunction.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Is it possible to store entangled photons for a period of time, and then use them later?

 

I can't find out the appropriate details of some of the experiments to see what they did, but "polarization maintaining" optical fiber does exist. It's a question of how far can the photon go before it's absorbed or otherwise lost, and is there a way of amplifying the signal without losing the entanglement.

 

(The group that did the teleportation over several km in Vienna apparently did free-space transmission)

(The group that did the teleportation over several km in Vienna apparently did free-space transmission)

By that he's referring to quantum teleportation and consequently no matter was teleported and so it is not breaking the laws of physics... (quantum teleportation is not what the same as what the average-off-the-street-person would mean when talking about teleportation.)

 

(I know you [swansont] know, just to stop others from going down that road.)