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Physical Review A

Spontaneous emission in a standing-wave cavity: Classical center-of-mass motion

W. Ren, James D. Cresser, H. J. Carmichael

Published Dec 1, 1992• 28 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present a nonperturbative result for the spectrum of spontaneous photons emitted by an atom coupled on resonance to a standing-wave cavity mode. Motion of the atom through the standing-wave mode function is included in a classical way. We discuss the form of the spectrum as a function of the velocity of the atom in the limit of strong dipole coupling. For slow atoms the normal-mode doublet (``vacuum'' Rabi spectrum) survives with small changes. The motion of a fast atom through the standing wave averages the coupling constant to zero, and the spectrum reverts to a single peak. At intermediate velocities the spectrum has a complicated multipeaked structure that can be understood in terms of interfering probability amplitudes for different quantum-mechanical emission paths or as a frequency-modulation spectrum for radiating coupled oscillators.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.46.7162

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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Apr 18, 2008•1 citation
We present a nonperturbative result for the spectrum of spontaneous photons emitted by an atom coupled on resonance to a standing-wave cavity mode. Motion of the atom through the standing-wave mode function is included in a classical way. We discuss the form of the spectrum as a function of the velocity of the atom in the limit of strong dipole coupling. For slow atoms the normal-mode doublet (``vacuum'' Rabi spectrum) survives with small changes. The motion of a fast atom through the standing wave averages the coupling constant to zero, and the spectrum reverts to a single peak. At intermediate velocities the spectrum has a complicated multipeaked structure that can be understood in terms of interfering probability amplitudes for different quantum-mechanical emission paths or as a frequency-modulation spectrum for radiating coupled oscillators.
We solve the spontaneous-emission problem for an atom coupled to a standing-wave cavity mode. The interaction between the atom and the cavity mode is treated nonperturbatively with the quantized motion of the atom along the cavity axis included. Results are presented for the spontaneous-emission spectrum and the final momentum distribution of the atom. For equal atomic and cavity linewidths analytical results are obtained using a Bloch-state basis (eigenstates of the coupled atom and cavity mode); these are compared with results calculated in the Raman-Nath approximation. The case of unequal linewidths may be solved numerically using the eigenstates of the uncoupled atom and cavity mode as a basis, or analytically by making a secular approximation in the Bloch-state basis. The distribution of final atomic momentum shows that under strong-coupling conditions the atom is diffracted by its radiation reaction field. We compare the spontaneous emission spectra with spectra calculated by treating the motion of the atom classically. Generally there is good agreement when the classical results are averaged over the quantum-mechanical uncertainty in the initial position of the atom. The agreement is lost for sufficiently strong dipole coupling or sufficiently light atoms. Then, spectra that are symmetric in the classical treatment are asymmetric in the quantum treatment due to energy exchange between the internal degrees of freedom and center-of-mass degrees of freedom of the atom.
The spectrum of spontaneously emitted photons from an atom interacting with a single cavity mode depends on the relative sizes of the mode coupling constant and the cavity loss rate. If the coupling constant is not too large, perturbation theory can he used to show that the atomic linewidth is either increased (enhanced spontaneous emission) or decreased (inhibited spontaneous emission) by the presence of the cavity. When the coupling constant is so large that perturbation theory cannot be used, the spontaneous- emission spectrum forms a doublet, with peaks located at the normal-mode frequencies for the coupled-dipole and cavity-mode oscillators (the so-called "vacuum" Rabi splitting).
We use a basis of Bloch wave functions to solve the problem of spontaneous emission from an atom inside a standing-wave cavity. In this way we incorporate the effects of the atom’s quantized center-mass-motion in the periodic light-force potential of the one-quantum dressed states during the spontaneous emission process. We calculate emission spectra and the momentum distribution of the atom. Under strong-coupling conditions, “vacuum” Rabi spectra become asymmetric, with an increased relative weight given to the red side of the spectrum because of the transfer of energy to the center-of-mass motion of the atom. Because of the nonperturbative interaction between the atom and the cavity mode, many momentum quanta are transferred to the atom from the cavity mirrors during the irreversible emission of just one photon. Thus, the atom is diffracted by its own radiation reaction field. We analyze these effects using the Bloch-state basis. Use of the secular approximation provides a simple rate equation description of transitions from the Bloch states excited in the initial state to the atom-cavity ground state. We compare this approach with other ways of doing the calculations and discuss the accuracy of the secular approximation. We consider the extension of these calculations to treat the effects of photon statistics on the momentum distribution of atoms traversing a standing-wave cavity.
The nonperturbative theory of the cooperative spontaneous emission from a two level atom trapped in one-dimensional damped nanocavity with a single resonance mode is presented. The time-dependent spectral properties and nonlinear dynamics of a separate photon emission by the macroolecular-like system "excited atom coupled to a resonance decaying mode" have been analyzed. The investigation has been carried out by solving the Schrödinger equation in the interaction picture with the help of the Green functions method in the Heitler-Ma's form . The formalism was supplemented with the novel algorithm in operating causal singular functions and with fundamentals of the theory of quantum quasi-stationary systems. The proposed theory accounts automatically of both reabsorptions of emitted photon and its simultaneous escaping out of the cavity. Solutions of the wave equation were found without using intermediate virtual states and series expansions. In accordance with the theory of quasistationary systems the field of mode decaying exponentially in the empty nanocavity was represented with the Lorenz-shaped packet of stationary photonic states (quasi-modes). The electro-dipolar interaction between the atom and the mode field was adopted to be switched on suddenly. The expressions and plots of emission spectral densities probabilities together with photon emission probability dynamics as functions of time for various ratios Γ/4g. For Γ/4g<1 the transient emission spectrum reveals the presence of two symmetrical side-bands and the central peak interconnected with each other in the area of interaction with the atom. Since the central component oscillates, decaying simultaneously in time at two rates infinity Γ/2 and ~ Γ/4, in the area of interaction the emission is a triplet with satellites oscillating in the interaction area and being stable outside of it. So the final spectrum is a doublet outside of nanocavity. On the contrary for Γ/4g ≥1 the spectrum is a singlet, and the emission occurs in exponentially decaying way.
A brief review is given of theoretical and experimental investigations of the spontaneous emission from an atom in a resonator cavity. A theory of spontaneous emission from a two-level atom in free space and in a cavity is presented in a methodical unified manner. In a single-mode resonator the structure of the spectrum of the emitted photons is a singlet or a doublet, depending on the ratio of the cavity damping to the constant of the interaction of an atom with a field. The emission spectrum of an atom in a cavity with two modes with similar frequencies may have a triplet structure.
The nonperturbative theory of the cooperative spontaneous emission from a two level atom trapped in one-dimentional damped nanocavity with a single resonance mode is presented. The time-dependent spectral properties and nonlinear dynamics of a separate photon emission by the micro-molecular-like system "excited atom coupled to a resonance decaying mode" have been analyzed. The investigation has been carried out by solving the Schrödinger equation in the interaction picture with the help of the Green functions method in the Heitler-Ma's form. The formalism was supplemented with the novel algorithm in operating causal singular functions and with fundamentals of the theory of quasi-stationary systems. The proposed theory accounts automatically of both reabsorptions of emitted photon and its simultaneous escaping out of the cavity. Solutions of the wave equation were found without using intermediate virtual states and series expansions. In accordance with the theory of quasi-stationary systems the field of mode decaying exponentially in the empty nanocavity was represented with the Lorenz-shaped packet of stationary photonic states (quasi-modes). The electro-dipolar interaction between the atom and the mode field was adopted to be switched on suddenly. The expressions and plots of emission probabilities spectral densities together with photon emission probability dynamics as functions of time for various ratios Γ/4g of photon escaping rate Γ and coupling constant g are presented. For Γ/4g <1 the transient emission spectrum reveals the presence of two symmetrical side-bands and of the central peak, the latter decaying in time at the rate ∝ Γ/2 so that the final spectrum is a doublet. In this case the photon emission probability is described by decaying oscillations. On the contrary for Γ/4g ≥ 1 the spectrum is a singlet and the emission occurs in exponentially decaying ways.