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

arXiv:quant-ph/0004101 · Physical Review Letters

Effects of Local Fields on Spontaneous Emission in Dielectric Media

Michael E. Crenshaw, Charles M. Bowden

Published Aug 28, 2000• 80 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The local-field renormalization of the spontaneous emission rate in a dielectric is explicitly obtained from a fully microscopic quantum-electrodynamical, many-body derivation of Langevin-Bloch operator equations for two-level atoms embedded in an absorptive and dispersive, linear dielectric host. We find that the dielectric local-field enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate is smaller than indicated by previous studies.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.85.1851

Related papers

Lorentz local-field effects on spontaneous emission in dielectric media

Michael E. Crenshaw, Charles M. Bowden

The recent first-principles derivation of Langevin-Bloch equations of motion for near-resonant atoms embedded in a linear dielectric host leads to a clear, direct physical reinterpretation of fundamental physical principles as applied to one of the most basic problems of quantum mechanics: the renormalization of the spontaneous emission rate of an atom in a dielectric host. Here we show the role of the Lorentz local field, the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, the wave number and wave vector, the density of states, Fermi's golden rule, the electromagnetic energy density, canonical quantization, and the classical constitutive relations in this context.

Physical Review A•Nov 29, 2000•19 citations

Spontaneous emission in absorbing dielectric media

Stephen Mark Barnett, B. Hüttner, R. Loudon

We have calculated the effect of material absorption on the rate of spontaneous emission by an embedded atom using a macroscopic Green-function approach and a microscopic Hamiltonian method that includes reservoir damping. When local field effects are neglected, the free-space emission rate is modified by the real part of the refractive index at the transition frequency of the embedded atom. Local field effects are introduced via a local field correction factor. This modification of the spontaneous emission rate generalizes a well-known result for transparent media and is of crucial importance in assessing the degree of inhibition of spontaneous emission for frequencies close to the resonances of the dielectric.

Physical Review Letters•Jun 22, 1992•216 citations

Quantum near-field effects and spontaneous decay

Sergey V. Sukhov

In the frames of quantum electrodynamics, the behavior of spontaneous decay is investigated for a single two-level atom embedded into a microscopic object (cluster). The transition frequency of cluster atoms is supposed to be considerably detuned from the transition frequency of decaying atom. The consideration is performed on the base of fully microscopic quantum-electrodynamical approach with simultaneous solution of Heisenberg equations for atomic and quantum field operators. The special attention is paid to the investigation of renormalization of spontaneous emission rate due to proper account of discrete structure of medium. The formula for decay rate is obtained without using the notion of refractive index. It is obtained that spontaneous decay strongly depends on the geometrical arrangement of atoms in microstructure. For some form of clusters, decay rate is found to be considerably large compared to its vacuum value that is not the case for macroscopically large dielectrics.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Nov 15, 2001•0 citations

Quantum optics of dielectric media

Peter W. Milonni

In this work the electromagnetic field in a dielectric medium is quantized in a simple and straightforward way based on the classical expression for the energy density for the case of weak absorption. The quantized field leads to expressions for spontaneous and stimulated emission rates, and gain and absorption coefficients, for the general case of a dispersive dielectric host medium. Local field corrections, when they apply, arise in the same manner as in classical electromagnetic theory. The theory also leads to a radiative level shift dependent on the dispersion of the dielectric, and this shift may be interpreted as a van der Waals interaction between the guest atom and the atoms of the host medium.>

Nonlinear Optics•Dec 17, 2002•0 citations

Spontaneous emission in dielectrics

Peter W. Milonni

The theory of spontaneous emission in dielectric media is extended to take proper account of dispersion and local field corrections. For the case of spontaneous emission in a plasma or radiative electron-hole recombination in a semiconductor, there are effectively no local field corrections. A shift of emission lines due to a dispersive host medium is predicted and interpreted. The corrections to spontaneous and stimulated emission due to dielectric interfaces in microcavity lasers are discussed.

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•May 1, 1993•0 citations

Spontaneous emission in nanoscopic dielectric media

Hannes C. Schniepp, H.-M. Ludwig, T. Kalkbrenner +1 more

Summary form only given. Over the last three decades of the 20 th century many experiments have demonstrated that the rate of spontaneous emission for an emitter is determined by its electromagnetic surrounding. This phenomenon has been usually studied for atoms or molecules placed in the vicinity of mirrors or in optical resonators. Furthermore, it is also well-known that the fluorescence lifetime of an emitter changes after being embedded in dielectric media where aside from a change in the refractive index, it experiences the local fields in the dielectric. For a spherical medium larger than the order of a wavelength it is known that the coupling to Mie modes of this dielectric resonator has a large influence on the emission rate of an emitter inside. However, when the medium becomes comparable or smaller than a wavelength one can no longer speak of resonator modes. Here we report on an experiment where we have studied the variation of the spontaneous emission rate as the dielectric medium surrounding an emitter is made smaller and smaller down to a few nanometers.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Aug 29, 2005•0 citations
The local-field renormalization of the spontaneous emission rate in a dielectric is explicitly obtained from a fully microscopic quantum-electrodynamical, many-body derivation of Langevin-Bloch operator equations for two-level atoms embedded in an absorptive and dispersive, linear dielectric host. We find that the dielectric local-field enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate is smaller than indicated by previous studies.
The recent first-principles derivation of Langevin-Bloch equations of motion for near-resonant atoms embedded in a linear dielectric host leads to a clear, direct physical reinterpretation of fundamental physical principles as applied to one of the most basic problems of quantum mechanics: the renormalization of the spontaneous emission rate of an atom in a dielectric host. Here we show the role of the Lorentz local field, the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, the wave number and wave vector, the density of states, Fermi's golden rule, the electromagnetic energy density, canonical quantization, and the classical constitutive relations in this context.
We have calculated the effect of material absorption on the rate of spontaneous emission by an embedded atom using a macroscopic Green-function approach and a microscopic Hamiltonian method that includes reservoir damping. When local field effects are neglected, the free-space emission rate is modified by the real part of the refractive index at the transition frequency of the embedded atom. Local field effects are introduced via a local field correction factor. This modification of the spontaneous emission rate generalizes a well-known result for transparent media and is of crucial importance in assessing the degree of inhibition of spontaneous emission for frequencies close to the resonances of the dielectric.
In the frames of quantum electrodynamics, the behavior of spontaneous decay is investigated for a single two-level atom embedded into a microscopic object (cluster). The transition frequency of cluster atoms is supposed to be considerably detuned from the transition frequency of decaying atom. The consideration is performed on the base of fully microscopic quantum-electrodynamical approach with simultaneous solution of Heisenberg equations for atomic and quantum field operators. The special attention is paid to the investigation of renormalization of spontaneous emission rate due to proper account of discrete structure of medium. The formula for decay rate is obtained without using the notion of refractive index. It is obtained that spontaneous decay strongly depends on the geometrical arrangement of atoms in microstructure. For some form of clusters, decay rate is found to be considerably large compared to its vacuum value that is not the case for macroscopically large dielectrics.
In this work the electromagnetic field in a dielectric medium is quantized in a simple and straightforward way based on the classical expression for the energy density for the case of weak absorption. The quantized field leads to expressions for spontaneous and stimulated emission rates, and gain and absorption coefficients, for the general case of a dispersive dielectric host medium. Local field corrections, when they apply, arise in the same manner as in classical electromagnetic theory. The theory also leads to a radiative level shift dependent on the dispersion of the dielectric, and this shift may be interpreted as a van der Waals interaction between the guest atom and the atoms of the host medium.>
The theory of spontaneous emission in dielectric media is extended to take proper account of dispersion and local field corrections. For the case of spontaneous emission in a plasma or radiative electron-hole recombination in a semiconductor, there are effectively no local field corrections. A shift of emission lines due to a dispersive host medium is predicted and interpreted. The corrections to spontaneous and stimulated emission due to dielectric interfaces in microcavity lasers are discussed.
Summary form only given. Over the last three decades of the 20 th century many experiments have demonstrated that the rate of spontaneous emission for an emitter is determined by its electromagnetic surrounding. This phenomenon has been usually studied for atoms or molecules placed in the vicinity of mirrors or in optical resonators. Furthermore, it is also well-known that the fluorescence lifetime of an emitter changes after being embedded in dielectric media where aside from a change in the refractive index, it experiences the local fields in the dielectric. For a spherical medium larger than the order of a wavelength it is known that the coupling to Mie modes of this dielectric resonator has a large influence on the emission rate of an emitter inside. However, when the medium becomes comparable or smaller than a wavelength one can no longer speak of resonator modes. Here we report on an experiment where we have studied the variation of the spontaneous emission rate as the dielectric medium surrounding an emitter is made smaller and smaller down to a few nanometers.