Microcavity quantum superradiance

Abstract

Two-dipole superradiance in a planar symmetrical microcavity has been investigated for the first time in the space-time domain by a controlled femtosecond excitation of two ensembles of molecules located at a mutual distance R on the plane parallel to the cavity mirrors. A significant enhancement of the time decay of the dipole excitation for a decreasing inter-dipole transverse distance R has been found. Furthermore, we have observed a striking transition from the classical to the quantum behaviour in the photon partition statistics of the emitted field for R ≤ lc, the transverse extension of the single allowed cavity mode.