Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2601.17208

A pedagogical derivation of the first-order effective Hamiltonian for the two-mode Jaynes-Cummings model

Alejandro R. Urzúa

quant-phphysics.ed-phSubmitted Jan 23, 2026• Announced Jan 27, 2026• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

This work presents a pedagogical and self-contained derivation of the first-order effective Hamiltonian for the two-mode Jaynes-Cummings model in the dispersive regime. A perturbative unitary transformation removes nonresonant atom-field terms, revealing dispersive frequency shifts leading to an atom-induced effective beam-splitter interaction between the field modes. The resulting Hamiltonian is diagonalized through a simple geometric rotation in the two-mode bosonic space, providing a transparent interpretation of the underlying dynamics. The exposition emphasized clarity and physical insight, making effective Hamiltonian methods accessible for teaching and learning in multimode light-matter interactions.

Comments
10 pages, 2 figures

Related papers

Effective Hamiltonian of the Jaynes–Cummings model beyond rotating-wave approximation*

Yifan Wang, Hong-Hao Yin, Ming-Yue Yang +2 more

The Jaynes–Cummings model with or without rotating-wave approximation plays a major role to study the interaction between atom and light. We investigate the Jaynes–Cummings model beyond the rotating-wave approximation. Treating the counter-rotating terms as periodic drivings, we solve the model in the extended Floquet space. It is found that the full energy spectrum folded in the quasi-energy bands can be described by an effective Hamiltonian derived in the high-frequency regime. In contrast to the Z 2 symmetry of the original model, the effective Hamiltonian bears an enlarged U(1) symmetry with a unique photon-dependent atom-light detuning and coupling strength. We further analyze the energy spectrum, eigenstate fidelity and mean photon number of the resultant polaritons, which are shown to be in accordance with the numerical simulations in the extended Floquet space up to an ultra-strong coupling regime and are not altered significantly for a finite atom-light detuning. Our results suggest that the effective model provides a good starting point to investigate the rich physics brought by counter-rotating terms in the frame of Floquet theory.

Chinese Physics B•Jan 8, 2021•5 citations

The Physical Spectrum of a Driven Jaynes–Cummings Model

L. Medina-Dozal, Alejandro R. Urzúa, I. Ramos-Prieto +4 more

We analyze the time-dependent physical spectrum of a driven Jaynes-Cummings model in which both the two-level system and the quantized cavity mode are subject to coherent classical driving. The time-dependent Hamiltonian is mapped, via well-defined unitary transformations, onto an effective stationary Jaynes-Cummings form. Within this framework, we derive closed-form expressions for the two-time correlation functions of both the atomic and field operators. These correlation functions are subsequently used to evaluate the time-dependent physical spectrum according to the Eberly-Wódkiewicz definition, which properly accounts for finite spectral resolution and transient emission dynamics. We show that the external driving leads to substantial modifications of the atomic spectral response, including controllable frequency shifts and asymmetric line shapes. Importantly, we identify a regime in which the driving parameters are chosen such that the coherent displacement induced in the cavity field exactly cancels out the initial coherent amplitude. In this limit, the system dynamics reduce to that of an effectively vacuum-initialized Jaynes-Cummings model, and the standard vacuum Rabi splitting is recovered. This behavior provides a clear and physically transparent interpretation of the spectral features as arising from coherent field displacement rather than from modifications of the underlying atom-cavity coupling.

Entropy•Jan 21, 2026•1 citation

The damped Jaynes–Cummings model

Stephen Mark Barnett, John Jeffers

The dynamics of the much studied Jaynes–Cummings model, of a single two-level atom interacting with a single quantized field mode, is simple to solve for because the number of quanta in the system is strictly conserved. Including the effects of cavity damping makes the model significantly more difficult to treat. Here we present a simple derivation of the evolution of the atomic inversion in the presence of cavity damping. This will enable us to explain the physical meaning of the solution, first derived more than 20 years ago, and also to show that it is valid for much stronger damping than was appreciated at that time.

Journal of Modern Optics•Sep 10, 2007•18 citations

Exactly solvable approximating models for Rabi Hamiltonian dynamics

Andrey Pereverzev, Eric R. Bittner

The interaction between an atom and a one mode external driving field is an ubiquitous problem in many branches of physics and is often modeled using the Rabi Hamiltonian. In this paper we present a series of analytically solvable Hamiltonians that approximate the Rabi Hamiltonian and compare our results to the Jaynes-Cummings model which neglects the so-called counter-rotating term in the Rabi Hamiltonian. Through a unitary transformation that diagonalizes the Jaynes-Cummings model, we transform the counter-rotating term into separate terms representing several different physical processes. By keeping only certain terms, we can achieve an excellent approximation to the exact dynamics within specified parameter ranges.

arXiv:quant-ph/0510225•Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics•Jan 1, 2006•12 citations

Dynamical renormalization of the Jaynes-Cummings model

Mark J. Fernée, P. D. Drummond

The effect of counter-rotating terms on the Jaynes-Cummings model of a two-level atom is studied. The technique of dynamical renormalization is used to generate a hybrid gauge which exists between the d.E and p.A gauges. The resulting truncated Hamiltonian including counter-rotating type terms has an interaction that couples the atomic inversion to the field intensity. This Hamiltonian is exactly soluble, resulting in a phase-dependent inversion, together with simultaneous frequency and refractive-index shifts.

Quantum Optics Journal of the European Optical Society Part B•Feb 1, 1993•2 citations

Analytical solution of the open dispersive Jaynes-Cummings model and perturbative analytical solution of the open quantum Rabi model

Antti Vaaranta, Marco Cattaneo, Paolo Muratore-Ginanneschi

The Jaynes-Cummings and quantum Rabi models are fundamental to cavity and circuit quantum electrodynamics, as they describe the simplest form of light-matter interaction, where a single qubit is coupled to a single bosonic mode. A scenario that is commonly encountered in the experimental practice arises when the bosonic mode interacts with an external dissipative thermal bath, making the qubit-boson system open. In this work, we present a new analytical solution of the Lindblad master equations for the open dispersive Jaynes-Cummings model and a perturbative analytical solution of the open quantum Rabi model in the limit of weak qubit-boson coupling $g$, using the holomorphic formalism in Bargmann space. Specifically, we derive the most general solution of the local Lindblad master equation for the open dispersive Jaynes-Cummings model coupled to a thermal bath, with the only assumptions that the initial state of the qubit-boson system is separable. Additionally, we obtain a perturbative analytical solution for the open quantum Rabi model up to second order in $g$. Notably, our findings include a new formula for the qubit's steady state at zeroth order, showing that the stationary populations depend on both qubit and boson frequencies in the quantum Rabi model, but not in the Jaynes-Cummings model, regardless of the value of $g$. Our results are of general interest to the study of open quantum systems in the context of light-matter interaction.

arXiv:2411.18310•Physical Review A•May 20, 2025•4 citations
This work presents a pedagogical and self-contained derivation of the first-order effective Hamiltonian for the two-mode Jaynes-Cummings model in the dispersive regime. A perturbative unitary transformation removes nonresonant atom-field terms, revealing dispersive frequency shifts leading to an atom-induced effective beam-splitter interaction between the field modes. The resulting Hamiltonian is diagonalized through a simple geometric rotation in the two-mode bosonic space, providing a transparent interpretation of the underlying dynamics. The exposition emphasized clarity and physical insight, making effective Hamiltonian methods accessible for teaching and learning in multimode light-matter interactions.
The Jaynes–Cummings model with or without rotating-wave approximation plays a major role to study the interaction between atom and light. We investigate the Jaynes–Cummings model beyond the rotating-wave approximation. Treating the counter-rotating terms as periodic drivings, we solve the model in the extended Floquet space. It is found that the full energy spectrum folded in the quasi-energy bands can be described by an effective Hamiltonian derived in the high-frequency regime. In contrast to the Z 2 symmetry of the original model, the effective Hamiltonian bears an enlarged U(1) symmetry with a unique photon-dependent atom-light detuning and coupling strength. We further analyze the energy spectrum, eigenstate fidelity and mean photon number of the resultant polaritons, which are shown to be in accordance with the numerical simulations in the extended Floquet space up to an ultra-strong coupling regime and are not altered significantly for a finite atom-light detuning. Our results suggest that the effective model provides a good starting point to investigate the rich physics brought by counter-rotating terms in the frame of Floquet theory.
We analyze the time-dependent physical spectrum of a driven Jaynes-Cummings model in which both the two-level system and the quantized cavity mode are subject to coherent classical driving. The time-dependent Hamiltonian is mapped, via well-defined unitary transformations, onto an effective stationary Jaynes-Cummings form. Within this framework, we derive closed-form expressions for the two-time correlation functions of both the atomic and field operators. These correlation functions are subsequently used to evaluate the time-dependent physical spectrum according to the Eberly-Wódkiewicz definition, which properly accounts for finite spectral resolution and transient emission dynamics. We show that the external driving leads to substantial modifications of the atomic spectral response, including controllable frequency shifts and asymmetric line shapes. Importantly, we identify a regime in which the driving parameters are chosen such that the coherent displacement induced in the cavity field exactly cancels out the initial coherent amplitude. In this limit, the system dynamics reduce to that of an effectively vacuum-initialized Jaynes-Cummings model, and the standard vacuum Rabi splitting is recovered. This behavior provides a clear and physically transparent interpretation of the spectral features as arising from coherent field displacement rather than from modifications of the underlying atom-cavity coupling.
The dynamics of the much studied Jaynes–Cummings model, of a single two-level atom interacting with a single quantized field mode, is simple to solve for because the number of quanta in the system is strictly conserved. Including the effects of cavity damping makes the model significantly more difficult to treat. Here we present a simple derivation of the evolution of the atomic inversion in the presence of cavity damping. This will enable us to explain the physical meaning of the solution, first derived more than 20 years ago, and also to show that it is valid for much stronger damping than was appreciated at that time.
The interaction between an atom and a one mode external driving field is an ubiquitous problem in many branches of physics and is often modeled using the Rabi Hamiltonian. In this paper we present a series of analytically solvable Hamiltonians that approximate the Rabi Hamiltonian and compare our results to the Jaynes-Cummings model which neglects the so-called counter-rotating term in the Rabi Hamiltonian. Through a unitary transformation that diagonalizes the Jaynes-Cummings model, we transform the counter-rotating term into separate terms representing several different physical processes. By keeping only certain terms, we can achieve an excellent approximation to the exact dynamics within specified parameter ranges.
The effect of counter-rotating terms on the Jaynes-Cummings model of a two-level atom is studied. The technique of dynamical renormalization is used to generate a hybrid gauge which exists between the d.E and p.A gauges. The resulting truncated Hamiltonian including counter-rotating type terms has an interaction that couples the atomic inversion to the field intensity. This Hamiltonian is exactly soluble, resulting in a phase-dependent inversion, together with simultaneous frequency and refractive-index shifts.
The Jaynes-Cummings and quantum Rabi models are fundamental to cavity and circuit quantum electrodynamics, as they describe the simplest form of light-matter interaction, where a single qubit is coupled to a single bosonic mode. A scenario that is commonly encountered in the experimental practice arises when the bosonic mode interacts with an external dissipative thermal bath, making the qubit-boson system open. In this work, we present a new analytical solution of the Lindblad master equations for the open dispersive Jaynes-Cummings model and a perturbative analytical solution of the open quantum Rabi model in the limit of weak qubit-boson coupling ggg, using the holomorphic formalism in Bargmann space. Specifically, we derive the most general solution of the local Lindblad master equation for the open dispersive Jaynes-Cummings model coupled to a thermal bath, with the only assumptions that the initial state of the qubit-boson system is separable. Additionally, we obtain a perturbative analytical solution for the open quantum Rabi model up to second order in ggg. Notably, our findings include a new formula for the qubit's steady state at zeroth order, showing that the stationary populations depend on both qubit and boson frequencies in the quantum Rabi model, but not in the Jaynes-Cummings model, regardless of the value of ggg. Our results are of general interest to the study of open quantum systems in the context of light-matter interaction.