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Physical Review A

Quantum theory of the mazer. I. General theory

Georg M. Meyer, Marlan O. Scully, HERBERT WALTHER

Published Nov 1, 1997• 95 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The photon emission probability in a micromaser changes drastically when the kinetic energy of the pumping atoms is comparable to the atom-field interaction energy. In this situation, the atomic center-of-mass motion has to be treated quantum mechanically and the de Broglie wavelength of the atom inside the cavity is an important physical parameter. The interplay between reflection and transmission of the atoms leads to a new mechanism for induced emission. A photon is emitted by an excited atom when the de Broglie wavelength fits resonantly into the cavity. These resonances lead to the process of microwave amplification via $z$-motion-induced emission of radiation (mazer). We derive and illustrate a general expression for the emission probability and a master equation for the mazer. We note that the probability for emission by an excited thermal atom (stimulated maser emission) is very different from the emission probability as given by the de Broglie resonances (induced mazer emission).

DOI
10.1103/physreva.56.4142

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The photon emission probability in a micromaser changes drastically when the kinetic energy of the pumping atoms is comparable to the atom-field interaction energy. In this situation, the atomic center-of-mass motion has to be treated quantum mechanically and the de Broglie wavelength of the atom inside the cavity is an important physical parameter. The interplay between reflection and transmission of the atoms leads to a new mechanism for induced emission. A photon is emitted by an excited atom when the de Broglie wavelength fits resonantly into the cavity. These resonances lead to the process of microwave amplification via zzz-motion-induced emission of radiation (mazer). We derive and illustrate a general expression for the emission probability and a master equation for the mazer. We note that the probability for emission by an excited thermal atom (stimulated maser emission) is very different from the emission probability as given by the de Broglie resonances (induced mazer emission).
The idea of the two-photon mazer (microwave amplification via z -motion-induced emission of radiation) is put forward. The dressed states for the interaction of a cascade three-level atom with a quantum cavity field are derived. The general quantum theory of the two-photon mazer is established and its emission probability is studied. The effects of the atomic c.m. momentum and of the atom-field detuning are examined. It is found that the two-photon mazer shows new features that differ from both the one-photon mazer and the conventional two-photon micromaser.
The idea of a mazer is put forward with particular reference to the question of the driving-induced atomic coherence, which is established by a coherent driving field. The interaction of a quantum cavity field and an ultracold V-type three-level atom in which two levels are coupled by a coherent driving field, is derived. Its general quantum theory is established and the atomic emission probability and photon statistics are calculated and analysed. It is found that the mazer based on this driving-induced atomic coherence shows new features. There is a non-vanishing probability for the atom emitting a photon in the cavity even when the resonance condition is not fulfilled (here the resonance condition means that the cavity length is an integer multiple of half the atomic de Broglie wavelength). Under the resonance condition, the atomic emission probability has two sets of resonance peaks. For a very strong coherent driving field, the emission of the atom can be forbidden. As to the photon statistics, when the driving field is not very strong, the driving-induced atomic coherence reduces the photon number fluctuations of the cavity field. The photon statistics exhibits strong sub-Poissonian behaviour. In the region considered here, it can even be sub-Poissonian for any cavity length. However, when the driving field is too strong, the sub-Poissonian property may disappear.
The emission probability of a cold atom in a microcavity when its center-of-mass motion is described quantum mechanically is presented, but is distinguished from other treatments by the inclusion of the spatial variation along the cavity axis. In particular, the mesa mode cavity profile is considered. The quantum theory of the one-photon mazer is constructed in the framework of the dressed-state coordinate formalism. Simple expressions for the atomic populations, the cavity photon statistics, and the reflection and transmission probabilities are given for any initial state of the atom-field system. The general conclusions reached are illustrated by numerical results.
In this paper we report on atomic interferometry in the micromaser. The experimentally observed interferences are due to the non-adiabatic mixing of dressed states of the atoms at the entrance and exit holes of the maser cavity, leading to Ramsey-type two-field interaction. The observations are explained on the basis of the micromaser theory. Statistical properties of the maser field are investigated via a measurement of the statistics of the pump atoms that leave the maser cavity. Theoretical expressions for the time dependence of the Fano-Mandel-parameter QA(t) are compared with the experimental data. We demonstrate, that metastability of the maser field and atomic interference strongly influence the approach to a steady state value of QA(t). Furthermore, a theoretical investigation of a maser pumped with ultra-cold atoms is discussed. The interplay between reflection and transmission events of the atoms leads to a photon emission probability that strongly depends on the quantized center-of-mass motion (z-motion) of the atoms. We demonstrate that this mazer operation can be completely different from the ordinary maser pumped by a beam of thermal atoms.
The abrupt change in the atom-field coupling strength which an atom experiences upon passing into and out of a micromaser cavity leads to changes in the atomic center-of-mass motion. For fast (thermal) atoms, small momentum changes give rise to stimulated emission. Very slow (laser-cooled) atoms, however, can be reflected from or tunnel through the cavity, and in the process undergo a new kind of induced emission. This changes the photon statistics of the micromaser completely. Resonances occur for particular values of the interaction length.