A multiple-scattering approach to interatomic interactions and superradiance in inhomogeneous dielectrics
| dc.creator | Wubs, Martijn | |
| dc.creator | Suttorp, L. G. | |
| dc.creator | Lagendijk, A. | |
| dc.date | 2004-09-19 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-07T08:39:35Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-07T08:39:35Z | |
| dc.description | The dynamics of a collection of resonant atoms embedded inside an inhomogeneous nondispersive and lossless dielectric is described with a dipole Hamiltonian that is based on a canonical quantization theory. The dielectric is described macroscopically by a position-dependent dielectric function and the atoms as microscopic harmonic oscillators. We identify and discuss the role of several types of Green tensors that describe the spatio-temporal propagation of field operators. After integrating out the atomic degrees of freedom, a multiple-scattering formalism emerges in which an exact Lippmann-Schwinger equation for the electric field operator plays a central role. The equation describes atoms as point sources and point scatterers for light. First, single-atom properties are calculated such as position-dependent spontaneous-emission rates as well as differential cross sections for elastic scattering and for resonance fluorescence. Secondly, multi-atom processes are studied. It is shown that the medium modifies both the resonant and the static parts of the dipole-dipole interactions. These interatomic interactions may cause the atoms to scatter and emit light cooperatively. Unlike in free space, differences in position-dependent emission rates and radiative line shifts influence cooperative decay in the dielectric. As a generic example, it is shown that near a partially reflecting plane there is a sharp transition from two-atom superradiance to single-atom emission as the atomic positions are varied. | |
| dc.description | 18 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physical Review A | |
| dc.identifier | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0409115 | |
| dc.identifier | http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0409115 | |
| dc.identifier | Phys. Rev. A 70, 053823 (2004) | |
| dc.identifier | doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.70.053823 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/141119 | |
| dc.subject | Quantum Physics | |
| dc.title | A multiple-scattering approach to interatomic interactions and superradiance in inhomogeneous dielectrics | |
| dc.type | text |