A room-temperature field-deployable quantum memory for quantum repeater schemes

High-performance quantum memories are a key component for quantum networking infrastructure. Here we demonstrate the first field-deployable, high-fidelity (>95%) memory for photonic polarization qubits based on electromagnetically induced transparency in a warm rubidium vapor. We discuss our work towards optimizing the memory for use in quantum networking applications, specifically to maximize the memory fidelity, efficiency and coherence time. We also describe our engineering efforts in scaling down the size of the memory into a turn-key 2U rackmount device. The module has been designed and tested for use in both academic and industrial settings.