The time evolution of driven two-level systems in the far-off-resonance regime is studied analytically. We obtain a general first-order perturbative expression for the time-dependent density operator which is applicable regardless of the coupling strength value. In the strong-field regime, our perturbative expansion remains valid even when the far-off-resonance condition is not fulfilled. We find that, in the absence of dissipation, driven two-level systems exhibit coherent population trapping in a certain region of parameter space, a property which, in the particular case of a symmetric double-well potential, implies the well known localization of the system in one of the two wells. Finally, we show how the high-order harmonic generation that this kind of system displays can be obtained as a straightforward application of our formulation.
The time evolution of driven two-level systems in the far-off-resonance regime is studied analytically. We obtain a general first-order perturbative expression for the time-dependent density operator which is applicable regardless of the coupling strength value. In the strong-field regime, our perturbative expansion remains valid even when the far-off-resonance condition is not fulfilled. We find that, in the absence of dissipation, driven two-level systems exhibit coherent population trapping in a certain region of parameter space, a property which, in the particular case of a symmetric double-well potential, implies the well known localization of the system in one of the two wells. Finally, we show how the high-order harmonic generation that this kind of system displays can be obtained as a straightforward application of our formulation.
The time evolution of driven two-level systems in the far off-resonance regime is studied analytically. We obtain a general first-order perturbative expression for the time-dependent density operator which is applicable regardless of the coupling strength value. In the strong field regime, our perturbative expansion remains valid even when the far off-resonance condition is not fulfilled. We find that, in the absence of dissipation, driven two-level systems exhibit coherent population trapping in a certain region of parameter space, a property which, in the particular case of a symmetric double-well potential, implies the well-known localization of the system in one of the two wells. Finally, we show how the high-order harmonic generation that this kind of systems display can be obtained as a straightforward application of our formulation. PACS number(s): 42.50.-p, 42.50.Ct I.
Some aspects of quantum tunneling of a particle in a double-well driven by an external field are studied within the two level approximations. The localization problems of particles are studied when the system are driven by far off-resonance and/or strong laser fields. A nonperturbative expression of the time evolution of system regardless of the coupling strength value is obtained, in the strong field regime, because of the asymptotic behavior of the Bessel function, the conclusion remain valid even when the far off-resonance condition is not fulfilled. That, when the zeros Bessel function vanishes, coherent destruction of tunneling will occur.Instead of discuss the two limitations one by one, simple expression with profound meaning is given.
Coherent population trapping is shown to occur in a driven symmetric double-well potential in the strong-field regime. The system parameters have been chosen to reproduce the 0(-) <--> 3(+) transition of the inversion mode of the ammonia molecule. For a molecule initially prepared in its lower doublet we find that, under certain circumstances, the 3(+) level remains unpopulated, and this occurs in spite of the fact that the laser field is resonant with the 0(-) <--> 3(+) transition and intense enough so as to strongly mix the 0(+) and 0(-) ground states. This counterintuitive result constitutes a coherent population trapping phenomenon of nonperturbative origin which cannot be accounted for with the usual models.
We show that a simple nonperturbative two-level model of an atom driven by a very strong periodic field, results in a rich picture of very high harmonic generation and related phenomena. It reproduces experimentally observed plateau, yields for the first time simple analytic formulas for the plateau cutoff frequency, critical driving intensity, and saturation, and predicts intensity-induced multi-resonances. One of the most fascinating phenomenon discovered recently in nonlinear interaction of light with atoms and ions, is very high-order (up to 135) odd harmonic generation (HHG) by intense (∼ 1013 W/cm2 and higher) optical laser radiation in rare gasses and some ions [1], The spectra of generated harmonics drasticly deviate from the perturbation theory predictions [2], In particular, intensity of harmonics, falling monotonically with their orders only up to a certain point, levels off forming a so-called “plateau", and falls monotonically again beyond it. Generally, harmonte generation depends on phase-matching conditions and nonlinear response of individual atoms. It has recently become clear however [3,4] that the major features of HHG, in particular the plateau, result mainly from general properties of atomic nonlinear response. The most direct and apparently successful way so far to approach the problem theoretically has been numerical simulation of the Schrödinger [2,5-7] (including an empiric rule [6]) for many-electron atoms using Hartry-Slater approximation. This approach requires, however, tremendous amount of calculations and involves many processes, making it difficult to gain simple insights. An interesting simplified model [8] based on 3-D delta-potential with a single (ground) level [9] produces results in integration form. The idea of retaining a single energy scale (ionization energy) brings one close to an even simpler system: a two-level model atom. A two-level model of HHG [10], however, due to various complications introduced into it, failed to generate simple results, whereas an analytic solution [11] holds for a virtually degenerate two-level model only (see below) which is unapplicable to the experimental conditions [1-4,7,9]; besides, no relaxation was considered in [10,11].
We analyze the dynamics of a two-level system subject to driving by large-amplitude external fields, focusing on the resonance properties in the case of driving around the region of avoided level crossing. In particular, we consider three main questions that characterize resonance dynamics: (1) the resonance condition, (2) the frequency of the resulting oscillations on resonance, and (3) the width of the resonance. We identify the regions of validity of different approximations. In a large region of the parameter space, we use a geometric picture in order to obtain both a simple understanding of the dynamics and quantitative results. The geometric approach is obtained by dividing the evolution into discrete time steps, with each time step described by either a phase shift on the basis states or a coherent mixing process corresponding to a Landau-Zener crossing. We compare the results of the geometric picture with those of a rotating wave approximation. We also comment briefly on the prospects of employing strong driving as a useful tool to manipulate two-level systems.
We present a simple but highly efficient iterating approach for strong-coupling periodically driven two-level systems. The obtained explicit approximating analytical solution reproduces accurately the exact numerical solution in the strong-coupling regime for a wide frequency range including resonance, far-off resonance, harmonic, and subharmonic cases. Our theory is suitable for single- and multi-period periodic driving and for the periodic driving with a few-cycle pulse as well, and it gives a general formula for calculating the strong-field ac Stark effect in such diverse situations.