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arXiv:1105.5238 · Physical Review Letters

Three-Photon Correlations in a Strongly Driven Atom-Cavity System

Markus Koch, Christian Sames, Maximilian Balbach, Haytham Chibani, Alexander Kubanek, Karim Murr, Tatjana Wilk, Gerhard Rempe

Published Jul 6, 2011• 63 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The quantum dynamics of a strongly driven, strongly coupled single-atom-cavity system is studied by evaluating time-dependent second- and third-order correlations of the emitted photons. The coherent energy exchange, first, between the atom and the cavity mode, and second, between the atom-cavity system and the driving laser, is observed. Three-photon detections show an asymmetry in time, a consequence of the breakdown of detailed balance. The results are in good agreement with theory and are a first step towards the control of a quantum trajectory at larger driving strength.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.107.023601

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Photon blockade is a dynamical quantum-nonlinear effect in driven systems with an anharmonic energy ladder. For a single atom strongly coupled to an optical cavity, we show that atom driving gives a decisively larger optical nonlinearity than cavity driving. This enhances single-photon blockade and allows for the implementation of two-photon blockade where the absorption of two photons suppresses the absorption of further photons. As a signature, we report on three-photon antibunching with simultaneous two-photon bunching observed in the light emitted from the cavity. Our experiment constitutes a significant step towards multiphoton quantum-nonlinear optics.
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