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arXiv:2605.17878

Bound state in the continuum and dynamics via phase modulation in giant-atom waveguide setups

Ji Qi, Xiaojun Zhang, Honngwei Yu, Zhihai Wang

quant-phSubmitted May 18, 2026• Announced May 19, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

Giant atoms, which couple to a waveguide through multiple spatially separated connection points beyond the dipole approximation, provide a versatile route for quantum information processing based on interference-induced bound states in the continuum (BICs). While multi-giant-atom architectures are being developed toward giant-atom quantum networks, the role of direct coupling between the giant atoms, in particular the associated coupling phase, in atomic dynamics remains insufficiently understood. Here we take a first step toward addressing this issue by studying a two-giant-atom waveguide-QED model. We show that the coupling phase can be used to control both the number of BICs and their profiles for both of photon and atoms. More interestingly, the presence of BICs gives rise to a variety of dynamical behaviors, providing an effective mechanism for tailoring quantum-state evolution in giant-atom waveguide-QED systems. Our results highlight coupling-phase engineering as a useful tool for controlling interference, bound states, and quantum dynamics in nonlocal light--matter interfaces.

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7 Pages, 5 Figures, Comments are welcomed

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Giant atoms, which couple to a waveguide through multiple spatially separated connection points beyond the dipole approximation, provide a versatile route for quantum information processing based on interference-induced bound states in the continuum (BICs). While multi-giant-atom architectures are being developed toward giant-atom quantum networks, the role of direct coupling between the giant atoms, in particular the associated coupling phase, in atomic dynamics remains insufficiently understood. Here we take a first step toward addressing this issue by studying a two-giant-atom waveguide-QED model. We show that the coupling phase can be used to control both the number of BICs and their profiles for both of photon and atoms. More interestingly, the presence of BICs gives rise to a variety of dynamical behaviors, providing an effective mechanism for tailoring quantum-state evolution in giant-atom waveguide-QED systems. Our results highlight coupling-phase engineering as a useful tool for controlling interference, bound states, and quantum dynamics in nonlocal light--matter interfaces.
Abstract We investigate phase-controlled bound states in a one-dimensional photonic waveguide coupled to an artificial giant atom at two distant sites. Specifically, we identify the bound state out of the continuum (BOC) and the bound state in the continuum (BIC) and derive the exact existence condition for the BOC. Furthermore, we analytically determine the BIC’s frequency and photonic distribution profile. Remarkably, our analysis reveals quantum beats in both atomic and photonic dynamics, arising from coherent oscillations between the BIC and BOC. These results establish a novel approach for manipulating waveguide quantum electrodynamics via engineered bound states, with potential applications in quantum information processing.
We find the phase-controlled bound state out of the continuum~(BOC) and bound state in the continuum~(BIC) in an artificial giant atom dressed one-dimensional photonic waveguide where the giant atom couples to the waveguide via two distant sites. We obtain the existence condition of the BOC as well as the frequency and the photonic distribution in the BIC. More interestingly, we predict the quantum beats in the atomic and photonic dynamical evolution, which is induced by the oscillation between the BIC and the BOCs. These findings provide an approach to manipulate the waveguide system via the bound states.
Bound states in the continuum (BICs) are spatially localized modes embedded in the spectrum of extended states, typically stabilized by symmetry or interference. While extensively studied in single-particle and linear systems, the many-body regime of BICs remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that giant atoms, quantum emitters coupled nonlocally to structured waveguides, can host robust doublon BICs, i.e., two-photon bound states stabilized by destructive interference and interactions. We first analyze a driven two-photon emission process and show how doublon BICs arise and mediate decoherence-free interaction between distant atoms. We then demonstrate that these many-body BICs also emerge under natural, undriven dynamics via a virtual two-photon emission process in three-level giant atoms. Our results reveal an interference-based mechanism for stabilizing many-body localization in open quantum systems, with potential applications in quantum simulation, non-ergodic dynamics, and protected quantum information processing.
We study the bound states in the continuum (BIC) in a system of two identical two-level giant atoms coupled to a one-dimensional waveguide. By deriving general dark-state conditions, we clarify how coupling configurations and atomic parameters influence decay suppression. Through analysis of the long-time dynamical behaviors of atoms and bound photons, we carry out a detailed classification of bound states and explore the connections between these dynamical behaviors and the system's intrinsic light-matter interactions. The system supports static bound states with persistent atomic excitations, and oscillating bound states with periodic atom-photon or atom-atom excitation exchange. Under certain conditions, oscillating bound states can contain more harmonic components owing to the emergence of additional quasi-dark modes, rendering them promising platforms for high-capacity quantum information processing. These findings advance the understanding of BIC in waveguide quantum electrodynamics with multiple giant atoms and reveal their prospective applications in quantum technologies.
We study the dynamics of two giant atoms interacting with a coupled resonator waveguide (CRW) beyond the Markovian approximation. The distinct atomic configurations determine the number of bound states in the continuum (BICs), leading to different dynamical behaviors. Our results show that when the system supports two BICs, Rabi oscillations dominate the dynamics, whereas fractional population dynamics emerge in the presence of a single BIC. The connection between these dynamics and the existence of BICs is further verified by analyzing the photonic distribution in the CRW during time evolution. These findings challenge the conventional notion that the environment always induces dissipation and decoherence. Instead, the bound states in the CRW-emitter coupled system can suppress complete dissipation of the emitters. We also quantitatively illustrate the memory effect of the waveguide, which serves as the environment of the giant-atom feature that can only be captured within our non-Markovian treatment. This work offers an effective approach for controlling dissipative dynamics in open quantum systems.
The giant atom paradigm, where a single quantum emitter couples to a continuum at multiple discrete points, has enabled unprecedented control over light-matter interactions, including decoherence-free subspaces and chiral emission. However, realizing these non-local effects beyond the microwave regime remains a significant challenge due to the diffraction limit. Here, we theoretically propose a photonic analog of giant atoms operating at optical frequencies, utilizing a quantum emitter resonantly coupled to a pair of spatially separated single-mode cavities interacting with a common 1D photonic continuum. By rigorously deriving the effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian and integrating out the bath degrees of freedom, we demonstrate that the interference between cavity-mediated emission pathways leads to the formation of robust Bound States in the Continuum (BICs). These interference-induced dark states allow for the infinite trapping of excitation within the emitter-cavity subsystem, effectively shielding it from radiative decay. Our results extend the giant atom toolbox to the optical domain, offering a scalable architecture for integrated quantum photonics and quantum interconnects.