We study the collective spontaneous emission of a linear atomic chain excited by a single photon. The interaction between the atoms and the common vacuum field can significantly change the eigenenergy and the spontaneous emission rate of the system. Due to the dipole-dipole interactions, the system prepared in a single-photon timed Dicke state is the superposition of superradiant and subradiant eigenstates that can have a nonexponential decay dynamics. We can tune the frequency and linewidth of the superradiant and subradiant emission from a timed Dicke state by changing the direction of the atomic dipole moment or the atomic separation. In addition, the emission direction of the superradiant and subradiant photons also depends on the polarization of the atoms.We study the collective spontaneous emission of a linear atomic chain excited by a single photon. The interaction between the atoms and the common vacuum field can significantly change the eigenenergy and the spontaneous emission rate of the system. Due to the dipole-dipole interactions, the system prepared in a single-photon timed Dicke state is the superposition of superradiant and subradiant eigenstates that can have a nonexponential decay dynamics. We can tune the frequency and linewidth of the superradiant and subradiant emission from a timed Dicke state by changing the direction of the atomic dipole moment or the atomic separation. In addition, the emission direction of the superradiant and subradiant photons also depends on the polarization of the atoms.

Physical Review ANov 3, 201417 citations

Single Photon Subradiance: Quantum Control of Spontaneous Emission and Ultrafast Readout

Marlan O. Scully

Recent work has shown that collective single photon emission from an ensemble of resonate two-level atoms, i.e., single photon superradiance, is a rich field of study. The present Letter addresses the flip side of superradiance, i.e., subradiance. Single photon subradiant states are potentially stable against collective spontaneous emission and can have ultrafast readout. In particular it is shown how many atom collective effects provide a new way to control spontaneous emission by preparing and switching between subradiant and superradiant states.Recent work has shown that collective single photon emission from an ensemble of resonate two-level atoms, i.e., single photon superradiance, is a rich field of study. The present Letter addresses the flip side of superradiance, i.e., subradiance. Single photon subradiant states are potentially stable against collective spontaneous emission and can have ultrafast readout. In particular it is shown how many atom collective effects provide a new way to control spontaneous emission by preparing and switching between subradiant and superradiant states.

arXiv:1505.03073Physical Review LettersDec 8, 2015176 citations

Open quantum systems and Dicke superradiance

Hichem Eleuch, I. Rotter

arXiv:1305.2762The European Physical Journal DMar 1, 201457 citations

Effect of atomic distribution on cooperative spontaneous emission

Wei Feng, Yong Li, Shi‐Yao Zhu

We study cooperative single-photon spontaneous emission from $N$ multilevel atoms for different atomic distributions in optical vector theory. Instead of the average approximation for interatomic distance or the continuum approximation (sums over atoms replaced by integrals) for atomic distribution, the positions of every atom are taken into account by numerical calculation. It is shown that the regularity of atomic distribution has considerable influence on cooperative spontaneous emission. For a small atomic sample (compared with radiation wavelength), obtaining strong superradiance requires not only the uniform excitation (the Dicke state) but also the uniform atomic distribution. For a large sample, the uniform atomic distribution is beneficial to subradiance of the Dicke state, while the influence of atomic distribution on the timed Dicke state is weak and its time evolution obeys exponential decay approximately. In addition, we also investigate the corresponding emission spectrum and verify the directed emission for the timed Dicke state for a large atomic sample.We study cooperative single-photon spontaneous emission from $N$ multilevel atoms for different atomic distributions in optical vector theory. Instead of the average approximation for interatomic distance or the continuum approximation (sums over atoms replaced by integrals) for atomic distribution, the positions of every atom are taken into account by numerical calculation. It is shown that the regularity of atomic distribution has considerable influence on cooperative spontaneous emission. For a small atomic sample (compared with radiation wavelength), obtaining strong superradiance requires not only the uniform excitation (the Dicke state) but also the uniform atomic distribution. For a large sample, the uniform atomic distribution is beneficial to subradiance of the Dicke state, while the influence of atomic distribution on the timed Dicke state is weak and its time evolution obeys exponential decay approximately. In addition, we also investigate the corresponding emission spectrum and verify the directed emission for the timed Dicke state for a large atomic sample.

arXiv:1310.4687Physical Review AJan 14, 201431 citations

We study cooperative single-photon spontaneous emission from

N

multilevel atoms for different atomic distributions in optical vector theory. Instead of the average approximation for interatomic distance or the continuum approximation (sums over atoms replaced by integrals) for atomic distribution, the positions of every atom are taken into account by numerical calculation. It is shown that the regularity of atomic distribution has considerable influence on cooperative spontaneous emission. For a small atomic sample (compared with radiation wavelength), obtaining strong superradiance requires not only the uniform excitation (the Dicke state) but also the uniform atomic distribution. For a large sample, the uniform atomic distribution is beneficial to subradiance of the Dicke state, while the influence of atomic distribution on the timed Dicke state is weak and its time evolution obeys exponential decay approximately. In addition, we also investigate the corresponding emission spectrum and verify the directed emission for the timed Dicke state for a large atomic sample.