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/0505140 · Physicalia Magazine

Detuning effects on the mazer

John Martin, Thierry Bastin

Published May 19, 2005• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

A short review of the theoretical studies of the cold atom micromaser (mazer) is presented. Existing models are then improved by considering more general working conditions. Especially, the mazer physics is investigated in the situation where a detuning between the cavity mode and the atomic transition frequency is present. Interesting new effects are pointed out. Especially, it is shown that the cavity may slow down or speed up the atoms according to the sign of the detuning and that the induced emission process may be completely blocked by use of a positive detuning. The transmission probability of ultracold atoms through a micromaser is also studied and we generalize previous results established in the resonant case. In particular, it is shown that the velocity selection of cold atoms passing through the micromaser can be very easily tuned and enhanced using a nonresonant field inside the cavity. This manuscript is a summary of Martin's master thesis and articles [Phys. Rev. A 67, 053804 (2003)] and [Eur. Phys. J. D 29, 133 (2004)].

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.quant-ph/0505140

Related papers

Detuning effects in the one-photon mazer

Thierry Bastin, John Martin

The quantum theory of the mazer in the nonresonant case (a detuning between the cavity mode and the atomic transition frequencies is present) is described. The generalization from the resonant case is far from being direct. Interesting effects of the mazer physics are pointed out. In particular, it is shown that the cavity may slow down or speed up the atoms according to the sign of the detuning and that the induced emission process may be completely blocked by use of a positive detuning. It is also shown that the detuning adds a potential step effect not present at resonance and that the use of positive detunings defines a well-controlled cooling mechanism. In the special case of a mesa cavity mode function, generalized expressions for the reflection and transmission coefficients have been obtained. The general properties of the induced emission probability are finally discussed in the hot, intermediate, and cold atom regimes. Comparison with the resonant case is given.

arXiv:quant-ph/0412043•Physical Review A•May 27, 2003•27 citations

Detuning effects in the vertical cold atom micromaser

John Martin, Thierry Bastin

The quantum theory of the cold atom micromaser including the effects of gravity is established in the general case where the cavity mode and the atomic transition frequencies are detuned. We show that atoms which classically would not reach the interaction region are able to emit a photon inside the cavity. The system turns out to be extremely sensitive to the detuning and in particular to its sign. A method to solve the equations of motion for non resonant atom-field interaction and arbitrary cavity modes is presented.

•Jan 1, 2006•1 citation

Cold three-level atom micromaser in the far-detuning regime

John Martin, Thierry Bastin

We analyze the quantum theory of the two-mode micromaser pumped by cold three-level atoms with a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-configuration under the two-photon resonance condition. We focus more specifically on the large detuning limit where the detuning between the two cavity mode frequencies and the two atomic transition frequencies is large in comparison with the atom-cavity coupling constants. We show that this regime can mimic a virtual two-level atom micromaser without spontaneous emission where the cavity acts for the atoms as a potential barrier or a potential well (depending on the sign of the detuning) and a zero potential but no more both as a potential barrier and a potential well as it is the case for the usual cold two-level atom micromaser [M. O. Scully, G. M. Meyer, and H. Walther, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4144 (1996)]. This introduces interesting options for engineering the interaction between the cold atoms and the cavity. The elimination of the spontaneous emission solves a major issue of the conventional cold two-level atom micromaser as the transit time of cold atoms inside and in the vicinity of the cavity is usually much larger than the atomic level lifetimes. It is also shown that the cold atom regime is very sensitive to the sign of the detuning (in contrast to the hot atom regime) and that, according to this sign, the cavity may speed up or slow down the incident three-level atoms after their interaction with the field.

Physical Review A•May 24, 2007•3 citations

Quantum theory of the mazer. I. General theory

Georg M. Meyer, Marlan O. Scully, HERBERT WALTHER

The photon emission probability in a micromaser changes drastically when the kinetic energy of the pumping atoms is comparable to the atom-field interaction energy. In this situation, the atomic center-of-mass motion has to be treated quantum mechanically and the de Broglie wavelength of the atom inside the cavity is an important physical parameter. The interplay between reflection and transmission of the atoms leads to a new mechanism for induced emission. A photon is emitted by an excited atom when the de Broglie wavelength fits resonantly into the cavity. These resonances lead to the process of microwave amplification via $z$-motion-induced emission of radiation (mazer). We derive and illustrate a general expression for the emission probability and a master equation for the mazer. We note that the probability for emission by an excited thermal atom (stimulated maser emission) is very different from the emission probability as given by the de Broglie resonances (induced mazer emission).

Physical Review A•Nov 1, 1997•95 citations

Quantum theory of the mazer. III. Spectrum

Michael Schröder, Karl Vogel, Wolfgang P. Schleich +2 more

We calculate the spectrum of the micromaser with quantized motion of the pump atoms [M. O. Scully, G. M. Meyer, and H. Walther, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4144 (1996)] in different velocity regimes. We show that when the kinetic energy of the pump atoms is comparable to the atom-field interaction energy the spectrum of the cavity field is no longer centered at the cavity frequency. In the case of very slow atoms huge broadenings and shifts occur in the vicinity of the mazer resonances. We present approximate analytical results for the spectrum that allow a comparison with the exact numerical calculations.

Physical Review A•Nov 1, 1997•71 citations

Quantum theory of the micromaser with ultra-cold cascade three-level atoms

Zhi‐Ming Zhang, Sheng-Wu Xie, Shikang Zhou

We derive the dressed states for the interaction of a cascade three-level atom with a quantum cavity field, suggest using ultra-cold cascade three-level atoms in micromasers, put forward the idea of the two-photon mazer, establish its general quantum theory and study its emission probability and photon statistics. We examine the effects of the atomic centre-of-mass momentum, the atom-field detuning, the photon number in thermal equilibrium, the ratio of the atomic injection rate to the cavity decay rate and the interaction length on the emission probability and the photon statistics.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Aug 13, 1999•10 citations
A short review of the theoretical studies of the cold atom micromaser (mazer) is presented. Existing models are then improved by considering more general working conditions. Especially, the mazer physics is investigated in the situation where a detuning between the cavity mode and the atomic transition frequency is present. Interesting new effects are pointed out. Especially, it is shown that the cavity may slow down or speed up the atoms according to the sign of the detuning and that the induced emission process may be completely blocked by use of a positive detuning. The transmission probability of ultracold atoms through a micromaser is also studied and we generalize previous results established in the resonant case. In particular, it is shown that the velocity selection of cold atoms passing through the micromaser can be very easily tuned and enhanced using a nonresonant field inside the cavity. This manuscript is a summary of Martin's master thesis and articles [Phys. Rev. A 67, 053804 (2003)] and [Eur. Phys. J. D 29, 133 (2004)].
The quantum theory of the mazer in the nonresonant case (a detuning between the cavity mode and the atomic transition frequencies is present) is described. The generalization from the resonant case is far from being direct. Interesting effects of the mazer physics are pointed out. In particular, it is shown that the cavity may slow down or speed up the atoms according to the sign of the detuning and that the induced emission process may be completely blocked by use of a positive detuning. It is also shown that the detuning adds a potential step effect not present at resonance and that the use of positive detunings defines a well-controlled cooling mechanism. In the special case of a mesa cavity mode function, generalized expressions for the reflection and transmission coefficients have been obtained. The general properties of the induced emission probability are finally discussed in the hot, intermediate, and cold atom regimes. Comparison with the resonant case is given.
The quantum theory of the cold atom micromaser including the effects of gravity is established in the general case where the cavity mode and the atomic transition frequencies are detuned. We show that atoms which classically would not reach the interaction region are able to emit a photon inside the cavity. The system turns out to be extremely sensitive to the detuning and in particular to its sign. A method to solve the equations of motion for non resonant atom-field interaction and arbitrary cavity modes is presented.
We analyze the quantum theory of the two-mode micromaser pumped by cold three-level atoms with a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-configuration under the two-photon resonance condition. We focus more specifically on the large detuning limit where the detuning between the two cavity mode frequencies and the two atomic transition frequencies is large in comparison with the atom-cavity coupling constants. We show that this regime can mimic a virtual two-level atom micromaser without spontaneous emission where the cavity acts for the atoms as a potential barrier or a potential well (depending on the sign of the detuning) and a zero potential but no more both as a potential barrier and a potential well as it is the case for the usual cold two-level atom micromaser [M. O. Scully, G. M. Meyer, and H. Walther, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4144 (1996)]. This introduces interesting options for engineering the interaction between the cold atoms and the cavity. The elimination of the spontaneous emission solves a major issue of the conventional cold two-level atom micromaser as the transit time of cold atoms inside and in the vicinity of the cavity is usually much larger than the atomic level lifetimes. It is also shown that the cold atom regime is very sensitive to the sign of the detuning (in contrast to the hot atom regime) and that, according to this sign, the cavity may speed up or slow down the incident three-level atoms after their interaction with the field.
The photon emission probability in a micromaser changes drastically when the kinetic energy of the pumping atoms is comparable to the atom-field interaction energy. In this situation, the atomic center-of-mass motion has to be treated quantum mechanically and the de Broglie wavelength of the atom inside the cavity is an important physical parameter. The interplay between reflection and transmission of the atoms leads to a new mechanism for induced emission. A photon is emitted by an excited atom when the de Broglie wavelength fits resonantly into the cavity. These resonances lead to the process of microwave amplification via zzz-motion-induced emission of radiation (mazer). We derive and illustrate a general expression for the emission probability and a master equation for the mazer. We note that the probability for emission by an excited thermal atom (stimulated maser emission) is very different from the emission probability as given by the de Broglie resonances (induced mazer emission).
We calculate the spectrum of the micromaser with quantized motion of the pump atoms [M. O. Scully, G. M. Meyer, and H. Walther, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4144 (1996)] in different velocity regimes. We show that when the kinetic energy of the pump atoms is comparable to the atom-field interaction energy the spectrum of the cavity field is no longer centered at the cavity frequency. In the case of very slow atoms huge broadenings and shifts occur in the vicinity of the mazer resonances. We present approximate analytical results for the spectrum that allow a comparison with the exact numerical calculations.
We derive the dressed states for the interaction of a cascade three-level atom with a quantum cavity field, suggest using ultra-cold cascade three-level atoms in micromasers, put forward the idea of the two-photon mazer, establish its general quantum theory and study its emission probability and photon statistics. We examine the effects of the atomic centre-of-mass momentum, the atom-field detuning, the photon number in thermal equilibrium, the ratio of the atomic injection rate to the cavity decay rate and the interaction length on the emission probability and the photon statistics.