Multipartite entanglement preparation and quantum communication with atomic ensembles

We propose an experimentally feasible scheme to generate Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger type of maximal entanglement among three atomic ensembles, and show one of the applications, controlled secure direct communication. The scheme involves laser manipulation of atomic ensembles, quarter- and half-wave plates, beam splitters, polarizing beam splitters, and single-photon detectors, which are within the reach of current experimental technology.