Quantum memory and teleportation using macroscopic gas samples

A long-standing goal in the quantum information community has been to realize quantum networks between distant sites. In this tutorial we describe the experimental demonstration of three crucial components in such a network using the off-resonant Faraday interaction between macroscopic atomic ensembles and coherent light. These are the realization of (a) deterministic entanglement between atomic samples in separate environments, (b) quantum mapping of an unknown light state into an atomic memory and (c) disembodied transport of states between quantum nodes via light-atom teleportation.