Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Nonperturbative decay of an atomic system in a cavity

B. M. Garraway

Published Mar 1, 1997• 518 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Atoms can nowadays be placed in increasingly exotic environments such as microscopic cavities and materials with photonic band gaps. High-Q cavities can now easily result in a strong coupling between an atom and its environment where perturbation theory should no longer be appropriate. The purpose of this paper is to describe the dynamics of a multilevel V-type atomic system (including the case of a two-level system) which interacts with a reservoir modeled by a generalized density of states. A theoretical construct, the pseudomode, is utilized to develop general methods for solution. Without using perturbation theory the equivalent master equation is developed and the relationship between the master equation, the pseudomodes, and the generalized density of states function is explored with examples. Utilizing a straightforward definition of the pseudomode, it is found that many functions for the density of states lead to problematic non-Lindblad master equations. Several examples are given, and it is shown how to convert the non-Lindblad master equations into a Lindblad form in these cases. The examples include a non-Lorentzian resonance and a simple model of a photonic band gap.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.55.2290

Related papers

Theory of non-Markovian decay of a cascade atom in high-Q cavities and photonic band gap materials

B M Garraway, Bryan J. Dalton

The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. Results are also obtained from master equations by two different approaches, that is, involving either pseudomodes or quasimodes. Two different types of reservoir are considered, namely a high-Q cavity and a photonic band-gap system, in which the respective reservoir structure functions involve Lorentzians. Non-resonant transitions are included in the model. In all cases non-Markovian behaviour for the atomic system can be found, such as oscillatory decay for the high-Q cavity case and population trapping for the photonic band-gap case. In the master equation approaches, the atomic system is augmented by a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes, which in the quasimode approach themselves undergo Markovian relaxation into a flat reservoir of continuum quasimodes. Results from these methods are found to be identical to those from the Laplace transform method including two-photon excitation of the reservoir with both emitting sequences. This shows that complicated non-Markovian decays of an atomic system into structured EM field reservoirs can be described by Markovian models for the atomic system coupled to a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes.

arXiv:quant-ph/0602102•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Jul 24, 2006•27 citations

Decay of an atom coupled strongly to a reservoir

B. M. Garraway

An approach to the decay of a two-state quantum system coupled to a resonant environment is developed in terms of exact (nonperturbative) master equations. Starting from a quantum optical model of a two-level system coupled to a heatbath, it is shown that the effect of the bath can be replaced by one or more pseudomodes. This description is valid for a wide class of analytic density-of-state functions and it leads to exact master equations which fully describe the non-Markovian decay of the quantum system without the use of perturbation theory, the Born approximation, or the Markov approximation. Two examples are given: a simple model of a density-of-states gap which has two poles, and a non-Lorentzian resonance.

Physical Review A•Jun 1, 1997•188 citations

Theory of non-Markovian decay of a cascade atom in high-Q cavities and photonic band gap materials

Garraway, B M, Bryan J. Dalton

The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. Results are also obtained from master equations by two different approaches, that is, involving either pseudomodes or quasimodes. Two different types of reservoir are considered, namely a high-Q cavity and a photonic band-gap system, in which the respective reservoir structure functions involve Lorentzians. Non-resonant transitions are included in the model. In all cases non-Markovian behaviour for the atomic system can be found, such as oscillatory decay for the high-Q cavity case and population trapping for the photonic band-gap case. In the master equation approaches, the atomic system is augmented by a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes, which in the quasimode approach themselves undergo Markovian relaxation into a flat reservoir of continuum quasimodes. Results from these methods are found to be identical to those from the Laplace transform method including two-photon excitation of the reservoir with both emitting sequences. This shows that complicated non-Markovian decays of an atomic system into structured EM field reservoirs can be described by Markovian models for the atomic system coupled to a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes.

•Feb 13, 2006•17 citations

Theory of pseudomodes in quantum optical processes

Bryan J. Dalton, Stephen Mark Barnett, B. M. Garraway

This paper deals with non-Markovian behavior in atomic systems coupled to a structured reservoir of quantum electromagnetic field modes, with particular relevance to atoms interacting with the field in high-Q cavities or photonic band-gap materials. In cases such as the former, we show that the pseudomode theory for single-quantum reservoir excitations can be obtained by applying the Fano diagonalization method to a system in which the atomic transitions are coupled to a discrete set of (cavity) quasimodes, which in turn are coupled to a continuum set of (external) quasimodes with slowly varying coupling constants and continuum mode density. Each pseudomode can be identified with a discrete quasimode, which gives structure to the actual reservoir of true modes via the expressions for the equivalent atom-true mode coupling constants. The quasimode theory enables cases of multiple excitation of the reservoir to now be treated via Markovian master equations for the atom-discrete quasimode system. Applications of the theory to one, two, and many discrete quasimodes are made. For a simple photonic band-gap model, where the reservoir structure is associated with the true mode density rather than the coupling constants, the single quantum excitation case appears to be equivalent to a case with two discrete quasimodes.

arXiv:quant-ph/0102142•Physical Review A•Oct 12, 2001•195 citations

Non-Markovian decay of a three-level cascade atom in a structured reservoir

Bryan J. Dalton, B. M. Garraway

The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade (or ladder) configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized electromagnetic field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. In this system two-photon excitation of the reservoir occurs, and both sequences for emitting the two photons are allowed and included in the theory. An integral equation is found to govern the complex amplitudes of interest. It is shown that the dynamics of the atomic system is completely determined in terms of reservoir structure functions, which are products of the mode density with the coupling constant squared. This dependence on reservoir structure functions rather than on the mode density or coupling constants alone, shows that it may be possible to extend pseudomode theory to treat multiphoton excitation of a structured reservoir---pseudomodes being introduced in one-one correspondence with the poles of reservoir structure functions in the complex frequency plane. A general numerical method for solving the integral equations based on discretizing frequency space, and applicable to different structured reservoirs such as high-$Q$ cavities and photonic band-gap systems, is presented. An application to a high-$Q$-cavity case with identical Lorentzian reservoir structure functions is made, and the non-Markovian decay of the excited state shown. A formal solution to the integral equations in terms of right and left eigenfunctions of a non-Hermitian kernel is also given. The dynamics of the cascade atom, with the two transitions coupled to two separate structured reservoirs of quantized electromagnetic field modes, is treated similarly to the single structured reservoir situation. Again the dynamics only depends on reservoir structure functions. As only one sequence of emitting the two photons now occurs, the integral equation for the amplitudes can be solved analytically. The non-Markovian decay of the excited state is shown for the same high-$Q$-cavity case of identical Lorentzian reservoir structure functions, and differs from that for the single reservoir situation.

arXiv:quant-ph/0304178•Physical Review A•Sep 23, 2003•51 citations

Cavity modified quantum beats

B. M. Garraway, P. L. Knight

The coupling of an atom to its environment can be strongly dependent on frequency when that atom is placed in, for example, a cavity. We consider here the exact dynamics of a three-level atom for a resonant form of the atom-environment coupling of the type found in a cavity. The three-level atom forms a quantum-beat V system in the general model that we consider. Without the use of perturbation theory, we derive a set of three coupled differential equations that describe the system. Results are compared to quantum beats in free space and an interpretation is provided in terms of the coupling of the three-level system to a pseudomode. The pseudomode is defined by the differential equations involving its amplitude and possesses the properties of a finite-Q cavity mode. The signal from a detector is formulated in terms of a resonant coupling between the detector and the cavity modes. Limits for a broadband and a narrow-band detector are considered. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

Physical Review A•Oct 1, 1996•108 citations
Atoms can nowadays be placed in increasingly exotic environments such as microscopic cavities and materials with photonic band gaps. High-Q cavities can now easily result in a strong coupling between an atom and its environment where perturbation theory should no longer be appropriate. The purpose of this paper is to describe the dynamics of a multilevel V-type atomic system (including the case of a two-level system) which interacts with a reservoir modeled by a generalized density of states. A theoretical construct, the pseudomode, is utilized to develop general methods for solution. Without using perturbation theory the equivalent master equation is developed and the relationship between the master equation, the pseudomodes, and the generalized density of states function is explored with examples. Utilizing a straightforward definition of the pseudomode, it is found that many functions for the density of states lead to problematic non-Lindblad master equations. Several examples are given, and it is shown how to convert the non-Lindblad master equations into a Lindblad form in these cases. The examples include a non-Lorentzian resonance and a simple model of a photonic band gap.
The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. Results are also obtained from master equations by two different approaches, that is, involving either pseudomodes or quasimodes. Two different types of reservoir are considered, namely a high-Q cavity and a photonic band-gap system, in which the respective reservoir structure functions involve Lorentzians. Non-resonant transitions are included in the model. In all cases non-Markovian behaviour for the atomic system can be found, such as oscillatory decay for the high-Q cavity case and population trapping for the photonic band-gap case. In the master equation approaches, the atomic system is augmented by a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes, which in the quasimode approach themselves undergo Markovian relaxation into a flat reservoir of continuum quasimodes. Results from these methods are found to be identical to those from the Laplace transform method including two-photon excitation of the reservoir with both emitting sequences. This shows that complicated non-Markovian decays of an atomic system into structured EM field reservoirs can be described by Markovian models for the atomic system coupled to a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes.
An approach to the decay of a two-state quantum system coupled to a resonant environment is developed in terms of exact (nonperturbative) master equations. Starting from a quantum optical model of a two-level system coupled to a heatbath, it is shown that the effect of the bath can be replaced by one or more pseudomodes. This description is valid for a wide class of analytic density-of-state functions and it leads to exact master equations which fully describe the non-Markovian decay of the quantum system without the use of perturbation theory, the Born approximation, or the Markov approximation. Two examples are given: a simple model of a density-of-states gap which has two poles, and a non-Lorentzian resonance.
The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. Results are also obtained from master equations by two different approaches, that is, involving either pseudomodes or quasimodes. Two different types of reservoir are considered, namely a high-Q cavity and a photonic band-gap system, in which the respective reservoir structure functions involve Lorentzians. Non-resonant transitions are included in the model. In all cases non-Markovian behaviour for the atomic system can be found, such as oscillatory decay for the high-Q cavity case and population trapping for the photonic band-gap case. In the master equation approaches, the atomic system is augmented by a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes, which in the quasimode approach themselves undergo Markovian relaxation into a flat reservoir of continuum quasimodes. Results from these methods are found to be identical to those from the Laplace transform method including two-photon excitation of the reservoir with both emitting sequences. This shows that complicated non-Markovian decays of an atomic system into structured EM field reservoirs can be described by Markovian models for the atomic system coupled to a small number of pseudomodes or quasimodes.
This paper deals with non-Markovian behavior in atomic systems coupled to a structured reservoir of quantum electromagnetic field modes, with particular relevance to atoms interacting with the field in high-Q cavities or photonic band-gap materials. In cases such as the former, we show that the pseudomode theory for single-quantum reservoir excitations can be obtained by applying the Fano diagonalization method to a system in which the atomic transitions are coupled to a discrete set of (cavity) quasimodes, which in turn are coupled to a continuum set of (external) quasimodes with slowly varying coupling constants and continuum mode density. Each pseudomode can be identified with a discrete quasimode, which gives structure to the actual reservoir of true modes via the expressions for the equivalent atom-true mode coupling constants. The quasimode theory enables cases of multiple excitation of the reservoir to now be treated via Markovian master equations for the atom-discrete quasimode system. Applications of the theory to one, two, and many discrete quasimodes are made. For a simple photonic band-gap model, where the reservoir structure is associated with the true mode density rather than the coupling constants, the single quantum excitation case appears to be equivalent to a case with two discrete quasimodes.
The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade (or ladder) configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized electromagnetic field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. In this system two-photon excitation of the reservoir occurs, and both sequences for emitting the two photons are allowed and included in the theory. An integral equation is found to govern the complex amplitudes of interest. It is shown that the dynamics of the atomic system is completely determined in terms of reservoir structure functions, which are products of the mode density with the coupling constant squared. This dependence on reservoir structure functions rather than on the mode density or coupling constants alone, shows that it may be possible to extend pseudomode theory to treat multiphoton excitation of a structured reservoir---pseudomodes being introduced in one-one correspondence with the poles of reservoir structure functions in the complex frequency plane. A general numerical method for solving the integral equations based on discretizing frequency space, and applicable to different structured reservoirs such as high-QQQ cavities and photonic band-gap systems, is presented. An application to a high-QQQ-cavity case with identical Lorentzian reservoir structure functions is made, and the non-Markovian decay of the excited state shown. A formal solution to the integral equations in terms of right and left eigenfunctions of a non-Hermitian kernel is also given. The dynamics of the cascade atom, with the two transitions coupled to two separate structured reservoirs of quantized electromagnetic field modes, is treated similarly to the single structured reservoir situation. Again the dynamics only depends on reservoir structure functions. As only one sequence of emitting the two photons now occurs, the integral equation for the amplitudes can be solved analytically. The non-Markovian decay of the excited state is shown for the same high-QQQ-cavity case of identical Lorentzian reservoir structure functions, and differs from that for the single reservoir situation.
The coupling of an atom to its environment can be strongly dependent on frequency when that atom is placed in, for example, a cavity. We consider here the exact dynamics of a three-level atom for a resonant form of the atom-environment coupling of the type found in a cavity. The three-level atom forms a quantum-beat V system in the general model that we consider. Without the use of perturbation theory, we derive a set of three coupled differential equations that describe the system. Results are compared to quantum beats in free space and an interpretation is provided in terms of the coupling of the three-level system to a pseudomode. The pseudomode is defined by the differential equations involving its amplitude and possesses the properties of a finite-Q cavity mode. The signal from a detector is formulated in terms of a resonant coupling between the detector and the cavity modes. Limits for a broadband and a narrow-band detector are considered. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.