Title :
Single atom optical bistability
Author :
Savage, C.M. ; Carmichael, H.J.
Author_Institution :
Opt. Sci. Center, Arizona Univ., Tucson, AZ, USA
Abstract :
Absorptive optical bistability is shown to exist for a single two-level atom inside a resonant optical cavity. Solutions for the quantum-mechanical density operator are obtained numerically for a parameter regime at the interface between the quantum limit, in which quantum-mechanical noise invalidates the semiclassical prediction of bistability, and the classical limit, in which quantum noise is a negligible perturbation on semiclassical results. Bimodal photon number distributions and Q functions are obtained, and two-state transition rates are calculated.<>
Keywords :
optical bistability; quantum optics; Q functions; absorptive optical bistability; bimodal photon number distributions; quantum-mechanical density operator; quantum-mechanical noise; resonant optical cavity; single two-level atom; Atom optics; Fluctuations; Optical bistability; Optical interferometry; Optical losses; Optical noise; Optical saturation; Optical scattering; Quantum mechanics; Resonance;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of