Microscopic theory of dipole–dipole interaction in ensembles of impurity atoms in a Fabry–Perot cavity

Abstract

We develop a consistent quantum theory of the collective effects that take place when electromagnetic radiation interacts with a dense ensemble of impurity centers embedded in a transparent dielectric and placed in a Fabry–Perot cavity. We have calculated the spontaneous decay dynamics of an excited impurity atom as a specific example of applying the developed general theory. We analyze the dependence of the decay rate on the density of impurity centers and the sample sizes as well as on the characteristic level shifts of impurity atoms caused by the internal fields of the dielectric. We show that a cavity can affect significantly the pattern of collective processes, in particular, the lifetimes of collective states.