TY - JOUR
T1 - Three-dimensional theory for light-matter interaction
AU - Sørensen, Martin Westring
AU - Sørensen, Anders Søndberg
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - We present a full quantum mechanical three dimensional theorydescribing an electromagnetic field interacting with an ensemble ofidentical atoms. The theory is constructed such that it describesrecent experiments on light-matter quantum interfaces, where thequantum fluctuations of light are mapped onto the atoms and backonto light. We show that the interaction of the light with theatoms may be separated into a mean effect of the ensemble and adeviation from the mean. The mean effect of the interactioneffectively give rise to an index of refraction of the gas. Weformally change to a dressed state picture, where the light modesare solutions to the diffraction problem, and develop a perturbativeexpansion in the fluctuations. The fluctuations are due to quantumfluctuations as well as the random positions of the atoms. In thisperturbative expansion we show how the quantum fluctuations aremapped between atoms and light while the random positioning of theatoms give rise to decay due to spontaneous emission. Furthermore weidentify limits, where the full three dimensional theory reduce tothe one dimensional theory typically used to describe theinteraction.
AB - We present a full quantum mechanical three dimensional theorydescribing an electromagnetic field interacting with an ensemble ofidentical atoms. The theory is constructed such that it describesrecent experiments on light-matter quantum interfaces, where thequantum fluctuations of light are mapped onto the atoms and backonto light. We show that the interaction of the light with theatoms may be separated into a mean effect of the ensemble and adeviation from the mean. The mean effect of the interactioneffectively give rise to an index of refraction of the gas. Weformally change to a dressed state picture, where the light modesare solutions to the diffraction problem, and develop a perturbativeexpansion in the fluctuations. The fluctuations are due to quantumfluctuations as well as the random positions of the atoms. In thisperturbative expansion we show how the quantum fluctuations aremapped between atoms and light while the random positioning of theatoms give rise to decay due to spontaneous emission. Furthermore weidentify limits, where the full three dimensional theory reduce tothe one dimensional theory typically used to describe theinteraction.
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.77.013826
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.77.013826
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2469-9926
VL - 77
SP - 013826
JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
IS - 1
ER -