Atomic Dipole Dynamics in the Thermal Quantized Cavity Field

Abstract

We consider the resonant interaction of a two-level atom with a thermal state of the quantized field in a lossless cavity. Non-trivial dynamics of the atomic dipole moment and the field quadrature components arise if the atom is initially prepared in a coherent superposition of its upper and lower states. In particular, the initial thermal field state acquires a well defined phase that corresponds to the initial phase of the superposition atomic state. Population trapping occurs when the intensity grows.     

The Interaction of Displaced Number State and Squeezed Number State Fields with Two-level Atoms

Abstract

The time-evolution of a single two-level atom in a single-mode high-Q cavity is sensitive to the quantum fluctuations of the cavity radiation field and to its photon statistics: this sensitivity is realizable experimentally in the Rydberg atom micromaser. We study the effects of the interaction of a two-level atom with two new non-classical radiation fields: the squeezed number state and the displaced number state realizable by nonlinear and linear transformations of field number states which have an initially precise occupation number. The time-varying field fluctuations caused by the atomic interaction are described using the Q-function quasi-probability.     

Production of Macroscopic Schrödinger Cat States from Weak Quantized Cavity Fields Interacting with Atoms Driven by Classical Fields

Abstract

We show that macroscopic superposition (Schrödinger cat) states of a quantized single-mode cavity field can be produced via the interaction of this field with a two-level atom which is driven by a classical field even for small initial intensities of the quantized cavity mode. We show that with a properly chosen driving field an almost pure superposition state with arbitrary amplitudes and phases of component states can be produced.     

N-level Atom Interacting with Single-mode Radiation Field: An Exactly Solvable Model with Multiphoton Transitions and Intensity-dependent Coupling

Abstract

We study the dynamics of an N-level atom coupled in a lossless cavity to a single-mode near-resonant quantized field. The atomic levels are coupled by the multiphoton transitions and the coupling constants between the field and the atomic levels are supposed to be intensity dependent. We find the exact solution for the state vector describing the dynamics of the atom-plus-field system. As an illustration we use the model for studying (i) the time evolution of the atomic occupation probability with the initially coherent field and (ii) the light squeezing, when the cavity field is initially in the vacuum state and the atom is prepared in the atomic ‘coherent state’ (a superposition of atomic states).     

Effect of a Squeezed Vacuum on Coherent Population Trapping in a Three-level Lambda System

Abstract

Master equation methods are used to investigate the effects of a broad-band squeezed vacuum on a three-level atom of the lambda configuration. The two-mode squeezed vacuum is treated as a Markovian reservoir in a non-stationary phase-dependent state. In addition to the squeezed vacuum the atom is driven by two coherent laser fields each of which, depending on the polarization, can couple to one or both of the atomic transitions. We show that in general the optical Bloch equations for the atomic density matrix elements have oscillatory coefficients, thereby necessitating the use of Floquet methods. For the case of equal laser frequencies, which are also equal to the carrier frequency of the squeezed vacuum, the coefficients of the Bloch equations become time independent and stationary solutions for the populations and coherences are obtained by standard matrix methods. For the ordinary vacuum the usual coherent population trapping effect at two-photon resonance is obtained, with the upper state population being zero. An unsqueezed thermal field partially destroys the trapping effect as the upper state population is no longer zero at two-photon resonance. The squeezed vacuum has the effect of improving the trapping in that the coherence hole becomes more pronounced for some values of the relative phase between the squeezed vacuum and the driving fields. The additional effects of a coherence transfer rate between the two optical coherences, which occurs for special choices of angular momentum quantum numbers are also studied. For the case of equal laser frequencies, the inclusion of this coherence transfer process destroys population trapping and reduces the lambda system to a two-level system. However, for the case of unequal laser frequencies, the coherence transfer process in combination with the squeezed vacuum can restore to some extent the population trapping. We show that other features that do not occur for two-level atoms, such as stationary population inversions between pairs of the atomic levels, also depend on the relative phase and can be enhanced in the squeezed vacuum. In the case of unequal frequencies of the driving fields the population in the upper state depends on the relative phase only when the carrier frequency of the squeezed vacuum is equal to one of the two frequencies of the driving fields. When the carrier frequency of the squeezed vacuum is slightly detuned from both frequencies of the driving fields, the population in the upper state is insensitive to the relative phase but is dependent on the degree of squeezing. For large detunings, the population does not show any dependence on the degree of squeezing and its distribution in function of the two-photon detuning is similar to that in the thermal vacuum field.     

Cavity field tomography via atomic beam deflection

Abstract

We propose a set-up where a classical field interacts via a two-level atom with a quantized field in a resonator. Due to entanglement we can reconstruct all available information about the field by measuring the momentum distribution of the atom.     

Cooperativity and Entanglement of Atom-field States

Abstract

The Jaynes-Cummings model of a single two-level atom interacting with a quantized single-mode coherent field generates at the half-revival time a dynamically disentangled atom-field state. At such times, the field is in asymptotically pure Schrödinger cat state, a macroscopic superposition of distinct field eigenmodes. In this paper we address the problem of field purity when a second atom is allowed to interact with the cavity mode and becomes entangled with the first atom via their mutual cavity field with which they interact. We employ the collective Dicke states to describe the cooperative effects on the entanglement and show that the second atom spoils the purity of the field state except for special cases of the atom-field coupling or of initial conditions.     

Generation of arbitrary two-qubit entangled states in cavity QED

Abstract

We present a scheme for the generation of arbitrary two-qubit entangled states between two cavity fields via interaction of an atom resonantly interacting with classical and quantized cavity fields. The controlling parameters are the interaction times with these fields.     

Effect of quantum interference on a three-level atom driven by two laser fields

Abstract

We study the effect of quantum interference on the population distribution and absorptive properties of a V-type three-level atom driven by two lasers of unequal intensities and different angular frequencies. Three coupling configurations of the lasers to the atom are analysed: (a) both lasers coupled to the same atomic transition, (b) each laser coupled to different atomic transition and (c) each laser coupled to both atomic transitions. Dressed states for the three coupling configurations are identified, and the population distribution and absorptive properties of the weaker field are interpreted in terms of transition dipole moments and transition frequencies among these dressed states. In particular, we find that in the first two cases there is no population inversion between the bare atomic states, but the population can be trapped in a superposition of the dressed states induced by quantum interference and the stronger field. We show, that the trapping of the population, which results from the cancellation of transition dipole moments, does not prevent the weaker field to be coupled to the cancelled (dark) transitions. As a result, the weaker field can be strongly amplified on transparent transitions. In the case of each laser coupled to both atomic transitions the population can be trapped in a linear superposition of the excited bare atomic states leaving the ground state unpopulated in the steady state. Moreover, we find that the absorption rate of the weaker field depends on the detuning of the strong field from the atomic resonances and the splitting between the atomic excited states. When the strong field is resonant to one of the atomic transitions a quasi-trapping effect appears in one of the dressed states. In the quasi-trapping situation all the transition dipole moments are different from zero, which allows the weaker field to be amplified on the inverted transitions. When the strong field is tuned halfway between the atomic excited states, the population is completely trapped in one of the dressed states and no amplification is found for the weaker field.     

Controlling decoherence of a two-level atom in a lossy cavity

Abstract

By use of external periodic driving sources, we demonstrate the possibility of controlling the coherent as well as the decoherent dynamics of a two-level atom placed in a lossy cavity. The control of the coherent dynamics is elucidated for the phenomenon of coherent destruction of tunnelling (CDT), i.e. the coherent dynamics of a driven two-level atom in a quantum superposition state can be brought practically to a complete standstill. We study this phenomenon for different initial preparations of the two-level atom. We then proceed to investigate the decoherence originating from the interaction of the two-level atom with a lossy cavity mode. The loss mechanism is described in terms of a microscopic model that couples the cavity mode to a bath of harmonic field modes. A suitably tuned external cw-laser field applied to the two-level atom slows down considerably the decoherence of the atom. We demonstrate the suppression of decoherence for two opposite initial preparations of the atomic state: a quantum superposition state as well as the ground state. These findings can be used to decrease the influence of decoherence in qubit manipulation processes.     

Preparation of two-mode anticorrelated photon-number state via atom de Broglie wave deflection

Abstract

It is shown that the deflection of an atom de Broglie wave at two adjacent cavities containing non-resonant weak fields can yield a highly entangled quantum state of the atom–field system in which discernible atomic beams are entangled to internal states of the atom and to two-mode photon-number states of the fields. Two-mode anticorrelated entangled photon-number states characterized by the total photon number can be prepared by the detection of the atom in given directions of the propagation.     

Effects of Atomic Coherence on Collapses and Revivals in the Binomial State of the Field

Abstract

The effects of the coherence between the states of a two-level atom on the phenomenon of collapses and revivals in an undamped binomial state of the electromagnetic field are investigated. It is found that the Rabi oscillations exhibit qualitatively different behaviour for different phases of coherence between the levels. This behaviour in the binomial state of the field is in contrast with that in a coherent state field, in which case the Rabi oscillations are qualitatively the same for all values of the coherence between the two atomic levels.     

Coherence phenomena in coupled pptical resonators

Abstract

We predict a variety of photonic coherence phenomena in passive and active coupled ring resonators. Specifically, the effective dispersive and absorptive steady-state response of coupled resonators is derived, and used to determine the conditions for coupled-resonator-induced transparency and absorption, lasing without gain, and cooperative cavity emission. These effects rely on coherent photon trapping, in direct analogy with coherent population trapping phenomena in atomic systems. We also demonstrate that the coupled-mode equations are formally identical to the two-level atom Schrödinger equation in the rotating-wave approximation, and use this result for the analysis of coupled-resonator photon dynamics. Notably, because these effects are predicted directly from coupled-mode theory, they are not unique to atoms, but rather are fundamental to systems of coherently coupled resonators.     

Interaction of Superpositions of Coherent States of Light with Two-level Atoms

Abstract

We investigate some of the basic features of the interaction of superpositions of coherent states of light with two-level atoms in the framework of the Jaynes-Cummings model. We compare the behaviour of the system in the case of having a coherent superposition state and a statistical mixture of coherent states as an initial field. We investigate the collapses and revivals of the atomic inversion by studying the evolution of the Q function of the cavity field. We also establish the connection between the purity of the field and the collapses and revivals of the atomic inversion.     

The Jaynes-Cummings Model with a q Analogue of a Coherent State

Abstract

In this paper we study the time evolution of the atomic inversion of the two-level atom which is coupled to the q analogue of a single mode of the bosonic field. The q field under consideration is supposed to be prepared initially in the q analogue of Glauber's coherent state. We find that q deformation of Heisenberg algebra may correspond to some effective nonlinear interaction of the cavity mode.     

Phase-dependent interference mechanisms in a three-level Λ system driven by a quantized laser field

The dynamics of an atomic few-level system can depend on the phase of driving fields coupled to the atom if certain conditions are satisfied. This is of particular interest to control interference effects, which can alter the system properties considerably. In this article, we discuss the mechanisms of such phase control and interference effects in an atomic three-level system in the Λ configuration, where the upper state spontaneously decays into the two lower states. The lower states are coupled by a driving field, which we treat as quantized. This allows for an interpretation on the single photon level for both the vacuum and the driving field. By analysing the system behaviour for a driving field initially in non-classical states with only a few Fock number states populated, we find that even though the driving field is coupled to the lower states only, it induces a multiplet of upper states. Then interference occurs independently in three-level subsystems in the V configuration, each formed by two adjacent upper states and a single dressed lower state.     

Determining the state of a single cavity mode from photon statistics

Abstract

We present various schemes for measuring the quantum state of a single mode of the electromagnetic field. These involve measuring the photon statistics for the mode before and after an interaction with either one or two two-level atoms. The photon statistics conditioned on the final state of the atoms, for two choices of the initial set of atomic states, along with the initial photon statistics, may be used to calculate the complete quantum state in a simple manner. Alternatively, when one atom is used, two unconditioned sets of photon statistics, each after interaction with a single atom in different initial states, along with the initial photon statistics may be used to calculate the initial state in a simple manner. When the cavity is allowed to interact with just one atom, only pure cavity states which do not contain zeros in the photon distribution may be reconstructed. When two atoms are used we may reconstruct pure states which do not contain adjacent zeros in the photon distribution. Coherent states and number states are among those that may be measured with one-atom interaction, and squeezed states and ?Schrödinger cats‘ are among those that may be measured with a two-atom interaction.     

Non-conditioned generation of Schrödinger cat states in a cavity

We investigate the dynamics of a two-level atom in a cavity filled with a nonlinear medium. We show that the atom-field detuning δ and the nonlinear parameter χ⁽³⁾ may be combined to yield a periodic dynamics, allowing the generation of almost exact superpositions of coherent states (Schrödinger cats). By analysing the atomic inversion and the field purity, we verify that any initial atom-field state is recovered at each revival time, and that a coherent field interacting with an excited atom evolves to a superposition of coherent states at each collapse time. We show that a mixed field state (statistical mixture of two coherent states) evolves towards an almost pure field state as well (Schrödinger cat). We discuss the validity of these results by using the field fidelity and the Wigner function.     

Collapse-revival Phenomenon in the Jaynes-Cummings Model Interacting with the Multiphoton Holstein-Primakoff SU(2) Coherent State

Abstract

We have analysed the behaviour of the atomic population inversion of the two-level atom interacting with a single-mode field initially prepared in the multiphoton Holstein-Primakoff SU(2) coherent state. It is shown that the behaviour of the atomic inversion depends on the parameters characterizing the initial state of the field. In particular, the atomic inversion can exhibit periodical oscillations as well as the collapse-revival phenomenon.