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Physical Review A

Quantum noise in two- and three-level models of the laser

R. B. Levien, Matthew J. Collett, Daniel F. Walls

Published Jun 1, 1993• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We compare the quantum fluctuations in two commonly used models of the laser, the Haken-Lamb model [H. Haken, Laser Theory (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1984)] and the Lax-Louisell model [W. H. Louisell, Quantum Statistical Properties of Radiation (Wiley, New York, 1973)]. In the Haken-Lamb model the laser medium is taken to consist of two-level atoms whereas in the Lax-Louisell model it consists of three-level atoms. We compare the predictions of both models for the output statistics of the field in the limit where the atomic variables may be adiabatically eliminated. Our comparison is valid from near threshold to far above threshold. While the three-level model is the more realistic of the two, we find that the simpler two-level model gives good agreement for the amplitude noise, provided this decouples from the phase noise in a given system.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.47.5030

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We compare the quantum fluctuations in two commonly used models of the laser, the Haken-Lamb model [H. Haken, Laser Theory (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1984)] and the Lax-Louisell model [W. H. Louisell, Quantum Statistical Properties of Radiation (Wiley, New York, 1973)]. In the Haken-Lamb model the laser medium is taken to consist of two-level atoms whereas in the Lax-Louisell model it consists of three-level atoms. We compare the predictions of both models for the output statistics of the field in the limit where the atomic variables may be adiabatically eliminated. Our comparison is valid from near threshold to far above threshold. While the three-level model is the more realistic of the two, we find that the simpler two-level model gives good agreement for the amplitude noise, provided this decouples from the phase noise in a given system.
Starting from the microscopic Hamiltonian of the three-level model and making use of the slowly varying amplitude approximation and the two-photon rotating wave approximation, we derive an effective Hamiltonian for the two-level two photon model under conditions where the two-photon process dominates the other radiartive processes, so that an exact relation between the three-level model and the two-level two-photon model is established. The effective Hamiltonian includes a term come from the optical Stark effect which was neglected in the conventional treatment. The coefficient of this term may have the same order of magnitude as the effective coupling constant. Based on this effective Hamiltonian, the standard method of Haken's laser theory is applied to study the threshold, the mean photon number, the self-induced frequency shift, the photon statistics and the fluctuation in steady states. Results are compared with previous ones which neglect the Strk effect.
In this paper we start from our Quantum Noise IV model of a homogenously broadened maser and specialize to the case in which the number of photons and the population difference are the slowest changing variables. In spite of the high coherence of the system, we find that by eliminating all other variables adiabatically we obtain the usual rate equations plus a set of noise sources with precisely those moments appropriate to shot noise. Thus we justify McCumber's model for amplitude noise in a laser, and after making a quasi-linear approximation obtain his amplitude spectrum. Comparison with exact calculations of Hempstead and Lax for the rotating wave van der Pol oscillator suggests that quasi-linear methods are accurate except within a factor 10 (in photon number) of threshold.
A quantum statistical theory of resonant optical phenomena is developed for the case when the fluctuations of the laser, used for exciting transitions, are important. The general equations describing the dynamics of a relaxing two-level atom (TLA) are solved exactly for different types of mean values and the two-time amplitude and intensity correlations. The phase-diffusion model is adopted for laser fluctuations. The exact results are used to analyze the effect of laser fluctuations on a number of optical effects-optical free-induction decay, adiabatic following, the spectrum of the scattered light from a relaxing TLA, the energy-absorption spectrum from a weak field, Hanle resonances, etc. In each case, the laser fluctuations are found to affect in an important way the characteristics of the above optical-resonance phenomena. For example, the spectrum of scattered radiation from a TLA has the usual three-peak structure for fields at resonance and with strengths $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ above the threshold and for $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$; however, now the peak heights (widths) are in the ratio 3x3x3x (23x\frac{2}{3x}3x2​), $x=\frac{[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}+\frac{({T}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}1}+{T}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}1})}{3}]}{[2{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}+{T}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}1}]}$, where ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ is the correlation time for laser phase fluctuations. For ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}\ensuremath{\gg}\ensuremath{\alpha}$, one gets a single-peak spectrum. The laser field is treated as a second-quantized field with excitation in either a coherent state or a Fock state. The results, obtained by straightforward perturbation theory, but valid for arbitrary values of the relaxation parameters, detuning, and the laser correlation time, are also presented.
An exact ccc-number generalized Fokker-Planck equation is derived for six noncommuting variables: the field variables, atomic populations, and atomic polarization of a laser model treated extensively by Lax. Langevin procedures yield the correct Fokker-Planck terms. Adiabatic eliminations are performed on the classical Markoff process given by the Fokker-Planck equation to compare with previous results. It is found that higher-order diffusion coefficients influence the second-order ones slightly during adiabatic elimination.
The quantum-statistical properties of the optical field of a two-mode laser with two coupled transitions have been studied by means of a generalization of the Scully and Lamb theory. The photon number distribution and the mode intensity distribution are obtained in the steady state for a system of homogeneously broadened atoms in resonance with the laser field. It is shown that the mode-coupling constant $\ensuremath{\xi}$ is unity and that near threshold the results of earlier treatments are recovered. Furthermore, it is shown that certain limit measures for the relative intensity fluctuations predicted by the semiclassical Fokker-Planck treatments based on the third-order theory are valid even in the limit of arbitrarily high gain levels.
A two-photon laser is modeled as NNN two-level atoms interacting via a two-photon transition with a single resonant-cavity field mode. The quadratic form of this interaction makes such a system a candidate to exhibit reduced quantum fluctuations (squeezing) in one quadrature of the output field. A Fokker-Planck equation containing all leading quantum noise terms is derived following the method of Haken. A linearized fluctuation analysis reveals that there is no squeezing in a two-photon laser with injected signal. A small amount of squeezing may be present in two-photon optical bistability. Our calculations confirm the results of Lugiato and Strini, who adopted a factorization of moment equations.