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Physical Review A

Description of n -level systems in cooperative behavior. II. Energy states, coherent states, and classical limit theories

I. R. Senitzky

Published Jan 1, 1977• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper discusses the suitability of a boson-second-quantization (BSQ) formalism for the description of cooperative atomic behavior---such as that encountered in quantum optics or laser-type phenomena. The physical significance of BSQ energy states and atomic coherent states, as well as the corresponding first quantization descriptions, are discussed. Specialization to the case in which the individual atomic systems are characterized by two levels allows comparison of the BSQ theory with other theories of cooperative behavior, not all of which can be generalized to the case of more than two levels. Passage to the classical limit, an analytical process that must be possible for macroscopic phenomena, is shown to be accomplished very simply in the BSQ formalism by conversion of the small number of collective (quantum mechanical) variables to classical random variables which are prescribed according to the quantum state of the total system. It is found that conventional semiclassical theory is a special case of the fully classical limit of the BSQ formalism, the specialization being the requirement that the system be in an atomic coherent state. The justification for the identification of coherent states with a classical description and energy states with a quantum-mechanical description, found in some of the literature on two-level systems, is questioned.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.15.284

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This paper discusses the suitability of a boson-second-quantization (BSQ) formalism for the description of cooperative atomic behavior---such as that encountered in quantum optics or laser-type phenomena. The physical significance of BSQ energy states and atomic coherent states, as well as the corresponding first quantization descriptions, are discussed. Specialization to the case in which the individual atomic systems are characterized by two levels allows comparison of the BSQ theory with other theories of cooperative behavior, not all of which can be generalized to the case of more than two levels. Passage to the classical limit, an analytical process that must be possible for macroscopic phenomena, is shown to be accomplished very simply in the BSQ formalism by conversion of the small number of collective (quantum mechanical) variables to classical random variables which are prescribed according to the quantum state of the total system. It is found that conventional semiclassical theory is a special case of the fully classical limit of the BSQ formalism, the specialization being the requirement that the system be in an atomic coherent state. The justification for the identification of coherent states with a classical description and energy states with a quantum-mechanical description, found in some of the literature on two-level systems, is questioned.
Specialization of the previously developed boson-second-quantization (BSQ) formalism for the description of cooperative atomic behavior to the case of a two-level laser allows comparison with and criticism of other theories of cooperative behavior. Application of the BSQ formalism to a model of a three-level laser leads to equations of motion in terms of macroscopic variables without the use of phenomenological modifications. These equations, which can easily be generalized to more than three levels, may be interpreted both classically and quantum-mechanically, and offer the possibility of investigating a number of problems which are of both conceptual and practical interest.
Quantum beats in the radiation field of "three-level" atoms are analyzed by means of a previously developed boson-second-quantization (BSQ) formalism. Two types of atoms are considered: type I, in which beats are due to transitions from each of two closely spaced upper levels to a single lower level, and type II, in which beats are due to transitions between a single upper level and each of two closely spaced lower levels. This classification is motivated by the claim found in the literature that semiclassical theory and quantum theory give qualitatively different results concerning the existence of beats in the case of type-II atoms. The terminology associated with beats is made precise by distinguishing between amplitude modulation at the beat frequency of the transition frequency field EEE, and the existence of a spectral component at the beat frequency in E2{E}^{2}E2. With respect to the former, no qualitative difference is found in the predictions from semiclassical theory and quantum theory; with respect to the latter, results that appear paradoxical from an intuitive viewpoint are discussed. It is shown that for the case in which the atoms are all in the same coherent superposition of energy states, with all levels occupied, semiclassical and quantum-mechanical results become equivalent as the number of atoms increases. Reference is made to the disturbance caused by the measurement processes in the case of a single atom. The essential difference in spontaneous emission beats between type-I and type-II atoms [with the ground state(s) unoccupied] is explained by the fact that the phase of the beat amplitude may be determined by preparation of the initial state in type-I atoms but may not be determined in type-II atoms.
A number of nnn-level systems behaving cooperatively is described by a boson-type second-quantization formalism which has both computational and conceptual utility, and leads naturally to a classical analog. The theory is compared with that for two-level systems and illustrated by the consideration of coupling to general-type fields. Spontaneous emission at all transition frequencies is examined, with both quantum-mechanical and classical results explicitly exhibited.
This chapter presents an analogous formalism which is developed for systems composed of many identical particles. Another extremely useful basis of the Fock space is the basis of coherent states which is analogous to the basis of position eigenstates in quantum mechanics. A crucial property of the coherent states is their overcompleteness in the Fock space, that is, the fact that any vector of the Fock space can be expanded in terms of coherent states. Boson coherent states are the physical states which emerge naturally when taking the classical limit of quantum mechanics or of a quantum field theory. In contrast, Fermion coherent states are not contained in the Fermion Fock space, they are not physically observable, and there are no classical fields of Fermions. In the subsequent development, this physical difference will give rise to some significant differences in the treatment of Bosons and Fermions.
We investigate the dynamics of an arbitrary atomic system (n-level atom or many n-level atoms) interacting with a resonant quantized mode of an electromagnetic field in a lossless cavity. Initially, the field is taken in a coherent state with a large average photon number. If the initial atomic state is chosen as an eigenstate of the atomic Hamiltonian in the classical field limit (semiclassical eigenstates), then the evolution of the system wave function is approximately factorized into the field and atomic parts. Explicit analytical expressions are given for the factorized wave functions. The time evolution of an arbitrary initial atomic state can be fully described in terms of factorized states. As examples, we discuss trapping states, and collapses and revivals of the atomic energy.
We discuss theoretical foundations of the emerging area of quantum-optical studies of many-body systems: a quantum field theory of atoms interacting with photons. This theory is designed to describe quantum-statistical systems of cooled and trapped atoms undergoing spontaneous and stimulated emission processes. Formulated in the framework of the second quantization, this theory accounts fully for quantum-statistical properties of atoms as bosons or fermions. In particular, it applies to a description of the formation of the Bose-Einstein condensate in bosonic systems, as well as the spectroscopy and other quantum optical properties of the Bose-Einstein condensate. We derive the general second quantized Hamiltonian of this theory and discuss in detail various approximations.