Abstract
Cooperative phenomena arising due to the coupling of individual atoms via the radiation field are a cornerstone of modern quantum and optical physics. Recent experiments on x-ray quantum optics added a new twist to this line of research by exploiting superradiance in order to construct artificial quantum systems. However, so far, systematic approaches to deliberately design superradiance properties are lacking, impeding the desired implementation of more advanced quantum optical schemes. Here, we develop an analytical framework for the engineering of single-photon superradiance in extended media applicable across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and show how it can be used to tailor the properties of an artificial quantum system. This “reverse engineering” of superradiance not only provides an avenue towards non-linear and quantum mechanical phenomena at x-ray energies, but also leads to a unified view on and a better understanding of superradiance across different physical systems.
Highlights
Cooperative phenomena arising due to the coupling of individual atoms via the radiation field are a cornerstone of modern quantum and optical physics
A single atom coupled to an environment is usually subject to spontaneous emission and experiences a frequency shift referred to as the Lamb shift
In an aggregation of atoms coupled via the radiation field, collective effects can significantly alter the properties compared to a single emitter
Summary
In Dicke’s small-volume limit, all atoms couple to each other with equal strength, leading to a collective decay rate Γ = Nγ0 = χDickeγ0 and a frequency shift Δ = χDickeδω0 with an enhancement factor χDicke (see methods). The smallest inter-atomic distance is given by the lattice constant a. Such ordered arrays are naturally provided by crystalline samples We consider a generic class of inter-atomic couplings. Which depend on the distance r between atom pairs. The coefficient α classifies the distance-dependence and Ad is a dimensionless coupling strength. We assume the atomic dipole moments to be uniformly aligned along the x3 axis. This orientation dependence is taken into account by the angle θ (see methods for further details). Note that in principle α can be artificially engineered and controlled as has recently been demonstrated at optical frequencies
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