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

Two-time intensity correlation in a driven three-level system

Huaqing Huang, Shuqiang Zhu, Muhammad Suhail Zubairy, Marlan O. Scully

Published Mar 1, 1996• 34 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We examine the various two-time fluorescence intensity correlations emitted by a driven three-level atom in a cascade configuration. For a strongly driven atom, the two intensity autocorrelation functions, one from the upper transition, the other from the lower transition, exhibit different behaviors. In addition to the an oscillation similar to the two-level intensity correlation we find an additional oscillation for the upper transition only. This is shown to be due to the spontaneous decay between the lower transition levels. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.53.1834

Related papers

Two-Time Intensity Correlations and Multiple Interference Mechanisms in a Driven Cascade Atom

Wang Fei, Xiangming Hu

We examine the intensity correlation functions of the two fluorescent fields that are emitted from the top and middle states of a doubly driven three-level atom in the cascade configuration. Novel interference effects are shown. (i) Both of the fluorescent fields have anticorrelations which can exist for long times when the applied fields are on the two-photon resonance and far off one-photon resonances. (ii) Both of the fluorescent fields have strong correlations when the applied fields are far off one- and two-photon resonances. In particular, the extremely strong correlation occurs for the photons emitted from the top state. The above phenomena are traced to the multiple interference mechanisms.

Chinese Physics Letters•Jan 18, 2007•4 citations

Correlations in light emitted by three-level atoms

David Thomas Pegg, R. Loudon, P. L. Knight

Correlations between the emission of photons from an excited three-level atom with one transition more strongly driven than the other are studied. Antibunching, anticorrelation, and superbunching are exhibited in the four possible configurations: ``vee'' (V), ``lambda'' (\ensuremath{\Lambda}), and two cascades with the upper or lower transition strongly driven. We pay particular attention to the projection of the atom into particular states by the measurement of fluorescence, and its significance for detecting quantum jumps in the weak transition by observing the fluorescence from the strong transition. For incoherent excitation we find that cross antibunching (the anticorrelation between emissions of different types of photons) manifests itself as prolonged periods of darkness. For the V and the cascade configuration with a strongly driven lower transition, these periods herald the emission of a weak-transition photon; for the other cascade and the \ensuremath{\Lambda} configuration the periods are heralded by the emission of a weak-transition photon. For on-resonance coherent excitation, dark periods are extremely infrequent for the former two configurations, and are extremely long or infinite for the latter two.

Physical Review A•Jun 1, 1986•134 citations

Intensity-intensity correlations and quantum interference in a driven three-level atom

S. Swain, Peng Zhou, Z. Ficek

We investigate the two-time intensity correlation functions of the fluorescence field emitted from a $V$-type three-level atom. We are particularly interested in the manner in which the atom emits photons in the presence of quantum interference. We show that under strong-field excitation quantum interference leads to anticorrelations of photons emitted from the atomic excited levels which can exist for extremely long times. This indicates that the excited atomic levels are not the preferred radiative states. We find that the atom spends most of its time in a superposition of the excited atomic levels from which it emits strongly correlated photons. The strong correlations are present only for a nonzero splitting between the excited levels, and for degenerate levels the correlations reduce to that of a two-level atom. Moreover, we find that the transition from the ground level to the symmetric superposition of the excited levels does not saturate even for a strong driving field. We also calculate the correlation functions for a weak driving field, and find that in this case the photon correlations are not significantly affected by quantum interference, but the atom can emit a strongly correlated pair of photons produced by a three-wave mixing process. Under appropriate conditions, with near-maximal quantum interference, it is possible to make the maximum value of the correlation function extremely large, in marked contrast with the corresponding case with no quantum interference.

Physical Review A•Mar 15, 2000•53 citations

Quantum Interference in the Spontaneous Emission Spectrum of a Driven Three Level Atom

Francesco Plastina, AND PIPERNO F.

The spontaneous emission spectrum for a driven three-level system in the cascade configuration is calculated. By explicitly taking into account the upper level spontaneous decay, several modifications of the interference effects producing spectral structures are found. The combined distribution function containing second-order correlation effects is also explicitly obtained.

•Jan 1, 1997•0 citations

Correlations between photons in resonance fluorescence emitted by an atom near a metal surface. Technical report

Henk F. Arnoldus, Thomas F. George

The photon correlations of resonance fluorescence emitted by a degenerate two-level atom near a metal surface are studied. An intense non-monochromatic optical laser drives a low-lying atomic transition, and the emitted fluorescence is detected by a photon counter. An expression for the spontaneous decay operator is derived, and it appears that the various substates of the upper level have a different lifetime due to the presence of the surface, or equivalently, due to the loss of spherical symmetry. The temporal photon correlation function is then evaluated in terms of a photon-emission operator and the time evolution operator for the atomic density matrix. The general theory is exemplified with a detailed elaboration of the j/sub g/ = 0 yields j/sub e/ = 1 transition, for which the two-photon correlation is obtained explicitly as a function of the lifetime A(h), depending on the atom surface distance h, the laser linewidth, the detuning from resonance, and the dipole-coupling strength with the external field.

•Oct 1, 1987•0 citations

Temporal correlations of sidebands of the fluorescent spectra from a three-level atom

Arundhati S. Jayarao, S. V. Lawande, Richard D’Souza

An analytical study of the sideband correlations in a strongly driven three-level atom in the cascade configuration is presented. The quantum nature of the sidebands is discussed in terms of intensity-intensity correlations and photon statistics.

Physical Review A•Sep 1, 1990•1 citation
We examine the various two-time fluorescence intensity correlations emitted by a driven three-level atom in a cascade configuration. For a strongly driven atom, the two intensity autocorrelation functions, one from the upper transition, the other from the lower transition, exhibit different behaviors. In addition to the an oscillation similar to the two-level intensity correlation we find an additional oscillation for the upper transition only. This is shown to be due to the spontaneous decay between the lower transition levels. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
We examine the intensity correlation functions of the two fluorescent fields that are emitted from the top and middle states of a doubly driven three-level atom in the cascade configuration. Novel interference effects are shown. (i) Both of the fluorescent fields have anticorrelations which can exist for long times when the applied fields are on the two-photon resonance and far off one-photon resonances. (ii) Both of the fluorescent fields have strong correlations when the applied fields are far off one- and two-photon resonances. In particular, the extremely strong correlation occurs for the photons emitted from the top state. The above phenomena are traced to the multiple interference mechanisms.
Correlations between the emission of photons from an excited three-level atom with one transition more strongly driven than the other are studied. Antibunching, anticorrelation, and superbunching are exhibited in the four possible configurations: ``vee'' (V), ``lambda'' (\ensuremath{\Lambda}), and two cascades with the upper or lower transition strongly driven. We pay particular attention to the projection of the atom into particular states by the measurement of fluorescence, and its significance for detecting quantum jumps in the weak transition by observing the fluorescence from the strong transition. For incoherent excitation we find that cross antibunching (the anticorrelation between emissions of different types of photons) manifests itself as prolonged periods of darkness. For the V and the cascade configuration with a strongly driven lower transition, these periods herald the emission of a weak-transition photon; for the other cascade and the \ensuremath{\Lambda} configuration the periods are heralded by the emission of a weak-transition photon. For on-resonance coherent excitation, dark periods are extremely infrequent for the former two configurations, and are extremely long or infinite for the latter two.
We investigate the two-time intensity correlation functions of the fluorescence field emitted from a VVV-type three-level atom. We are particularly interested in the manner in which the atom emits photons in the presence of quantum interference. We show that under strong-field excitation quantum interference leads to anticorrelations of photons emitted from the atomic excited levels which can exist for extremely long times. This indicates that the excited atomic levels are not the preferred radiative states. We find that the atom spends most of its time in a superposition of the excited atomic levels from which it emits strongly correlated photons. The strong correlations are present only for a nonzero splitting between the excited levels, and for degenerate levels the correlations reduce to that of a two-level atom. Moreover, we find that the transition from the ground level to the symmetric superposition of the excited levels does not saturate even for a strong driving field. We also calculate the correlation functions for a weak driving field, and find that in this case the photon correlations are not significantly affected by quantum interference, but the atom can emit a strongly correlated pair of photons produced by a three-wave mixing process. Under appropriate conditions, with near-maximal quantum interference, it is possible to make the maximum value of the correlation function extremely large, in marked contrast with the corresponding case with no quantum interference.
The photon correlations of resonance fluorescence emitted by a degenerate two-level atom near a metal surface are studied. An intense non-monochromatic optical laser drives a low-lying atomic transition, and the emitted fluorescence is detected by a photon counter. An expression for the spontaneous decay operator is derived, and it appears that the various substates of the upper level have a different lifetime due to the presence of the surface, or equivalently, due to the loss of spherical symmetry. The temporal photon correlation function is then evaluated in terms of a photon-emission operator and the time evolution operator for the atomic density matrix. The general theory is exemplified with a detailed elaboration of the j/sub g/ = 0 yields j/sub e/ = 1 transition, for which the two-photon correlation is obtained explicitly as a function of the lifetime A(h), depending on the atom surface distance h, the laser linewidth, the detuning from resonance, and the dipole-coupling strength with the external field.