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Photonics

Landau–Zener–Stückelberg–Majorana Interference in Optical Resonators: A Temporal Coupled-Mode Theory Approach

Chenzhi Yuan, Xu-Tun Li, Si Shen

Published Aug 8, 2026• 0 citations

Abstract

Landau–Zener–Stückelberg–Majorana (LZSM) interference describes the coherent superposition of nonadiabatic transitions when a quantum system is driven through an avoided crossing, but its classical optical analog remains largely unexplored. This work establishes an optical-resonator-based platform for exploring LZSM interference in atomic polarization dynamics using temporal coupled-mode theory. By exploiting the formal correspondence between the cavity mode and atomic polarization in a weakly driven two-level system (TLS), exact analytical solutions are derived for linear frequency sweeps and sinusoidal modulation. The results reveal that the Landau–Zener transition of atomic polarization occurs even when the input frequency transiently sweeps across resonance. The finite temporal memory inherent in the cavity response gives rise to Stückelberg interference, manifesting as oscillations in transmission and cavity energy. The dependence of the interference pattern on sweep rate, linewidth, and modulation is systematically analyzed, and a non-monotonic behavior of oscillation amplitude versus the cavity linewidth is identified. Furthermore, the conventional critical coupling concept is reexamined in the nonadiabatic regime, where counterintuitively the deepest transmission dip occurs under over-coupling rather than critical coupling. Finally, an inverse-design approach engineering both the amplitude and frequency of the input frequency is introduced to tailor the LZSM interference pattern. Our results provide a new platform to all-optical simulation of complex quantum interference.

DOI: 10.3390/photonics13080749

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Landau–Zener–Stückelberg–Majorana (LZSM) interference describes the coherent superposition of nonadiabatic transitions when a quantum system is driven through an avoided crossing, but its classical optical analog remains largely unexplored. This work establishes an optical-resonator-based platform for exploring LZSM interference in atomic polarization dynamics using temporal coupled-mode theory. By exploiting the formal correspondence between the cavity mode and atomic polarization in a weakly driven two-level system (TLS), exact analytical solutions are derived for linear frequency sweeps and sinusoidal modulation. The results reveal that the Landau–Zener transition of atomic polarization occurs even when the input frequency transiently sweeps across resonance. The finite temporal memory inherent in the cavity response gives rise to Stückelberg interference, manifesting as oscillations in transmission and cavity energy. The dependence of the interference pattern on sweep rate, linewidth, and modulation is systematically analyzed, and a non-monotonic behavior of oscillation amplitude versus the cavity linewidth is identified. Furthermore, the conventional critical coupling concept is reexamined in the nonadiabatic regime, where counterintuitively the deepest transmission dip occurs under over-coupling rather than critical coupling. Finally, an inverse-design approach engineering both the amplitude and frequency of the input frequency is introduced to tailor the LZSM interference pattern. Our results provide a new platform to all-optical simulation of complex quantum interference.

Abstract Landau–Zener–Stückelberg–Majorana (LZSM) interference occurs when qubit parameters are periodically modulated across avoided level crossings. We explore this phenomenon in nonlinear multilevel bosonic systems, where interference is influenced by multiple energy levels. We fabricate two superconducting resonators with flux-tunable Josephson junction arrays. The first device, exhibiting weak nonlinearity, behaves like a linear resonator under weak driving but shows LZSM interference akin to two-level systems. With stronger driving, nonlinear effects alter the interference pattern. We theoretically demonstrate that merging LZSM peaks can lead to dissipative quantum chaos. In the second device, where nonlinearity exceeds photon-loss rates, we observe additional LZSM peaks from Kerr multiphoton resonances. Under Floquet theory, these resonances represent synthetic modes of coupled nonlinear cavities, revealing effective coupling as modulation parameters vary. Our findings advance the understanding of LZSM physics and emphasize the control of nonlinear Floquet states and the emergence of chaos in engineered systems, with significant implications for novel applications in quantum dynamics and quantum control.

A quantum system can be driven by either sinusoidal, rectangular, or noisy signals. In the literature, these regimes are referred to as Landau-Zener-Stückelberg-Majorana (LZSM) interferometry, latching modulation, and motional averaging, respectively. We demonstrate that these pronounced and interesting effects are also inherent in the dynamics of classical two-state systems. We discuss how such classical systems are realized using either mechanical, electrical, or optical resonators. In addition to the fundamental interest of such dynamical phenomena linking classical and quantum physics, we believe that these are attractive for the classical analogue simulation of quantum systems.

Since the pioneering works by Landau, Zener, Stückelberg, and Majorana (LZSM), it has been known that driving a quantum two-level system results in tunneling between its states. Even though the interference between these transitions is known to be important, it is only recently that it became both accessible, controllable, and useful for manipulating a growing number of quantum systems. Here, we systematically study various aspects of LZSM physics and review the relevant literature, significantly expanding the review article in Ref. [504].

We demonstrate amplification (and attenuation) of a probe signal by a driven two-level quantum system in the Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg-Majorana regime by means of an experiment, in which a superconducting qubit was strongly coupled to a microwave cavity, in a conventional arrangement of circuit quantum electrodynamics. Two different types of flux qubit, specifically a conventional Josephson junctions qubit and a phase-slip qubit, show similar results, namely, lasing at the working points where amplification takes place. The experimental data are explained by the interaction of the probe signal with Rabi-like oscillations. The latter are created by constructive interference of Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg-Majorana (LZSM) transitions during the driving period of the qubit. A detailed description of the occurrence of these oscillations and a comparison of obtained data with both analytic and numerical calculations are given.

The interference between a sequence of Landau-Zener (LZ) transitions can produce Rabi oscillations (LZROs). This phenomenon is a kind of time-domain Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg-Majorana (LZSM) interference. However, experimental demonstrations of this LZSM interference induced Rabi oscillation are extremely hard due to the short coherence time of the driven quantum system. Here, we study theoretically the time-domain LZSM interference between the clock transition in a one-dimensional

^{87}\mathrm{Sr}

optical lattice clock (OLC) system. With the help of both the adiabatic-impulse model and Floquet numerical simulation method, the LZROs with special steplike structure are clearly found both in the fast- and slow-passage limit in the real experiment parameter regions. In addition, the dephasing effect caused by the system temperature can be suppressed with destructive interference in the slow-passage limit. Finally, we discuss the possible Bloch-Siegert shift while the pulse time is away from the half-integer and integer periods. Our work provides a clear road map to observe the LZROs on the OLC platform.

By driving a 3D transmon with microwave fields, we generate an effective avoided energy-level crossing. Then we chirp microwave frequency, which is equivalent to driving the system through the avoided energy-level crossing by sweeping the avoided crossing. A double-passage chirp produces Landau-Zener-Stückelberg-Majorana (LZSM) interference that agree well with the numerical results, especially with the initial state being an eigen-energy state in the center of an avoided level crossing. A time-resolved state tomography measurement is performed in the evolution of LZSM interference, showing an experimental evidence for the dynamical evolution of quantum state. Our method is fully applicable to other quantum systems that contain no intrinsic avoided level crossing, providing an alternative approach for quantum control and quantum simulation.