Interaction of bimodal fields with few-level atoms in cavities and traps

The spectacular experimental results of the last few years in cavity quantum electrodynamics and trapped ions research has led to very high level laboratory performances. Such a stimulating situation essentially stems from two decisive advancements. The first is the invention of reliable protocols for the manipulation of single atoms. The second is the ability to produce desired bosonic environments on demand. These progresses have led to the possibility of controlling the form of the coupling between individual atoms and an arbitrary number of bosonic modes. As a consequence, fundamental matter-radiation interaction models like, for instance, the JC model and most of its numerous nonlinear multiphoton generalizations, have been realized or simulated in laboratory and their dynamical features have been tested more or less in detail. This topical paper reviews the state of the art of the theoretical investigations and of the experimental observations concerning the dynamical features of the coupling between single few-level atoms and two bosonic modes. In the course of the paper we show that such a configuration provides an excellent platform for investigating various quantum intermode correlation effects tested or testable in the cavity quantum electrodynamics and trapped ion experimental realms. In particular we discuss a mode-mode correlation effect appearing in the dynamics of a two-level atom quadratically coupled to two bosonic modes. This effect, named parity effect, consists in a high sensitivity to the evenness or oddness of the total number of bosonic excitations.Comment: Topical Review. To appear on J. Mod. Op

The rotating wave system-reservoir coupling: limitations and meaning in the non-Markovian regime

This paper deals with the dissipative dynamics of a quantum harmonic oscillator interacting with a bosonic reservoir. The Master Equations based on the Rotating Wave and on the Feynman-Vernon system--reservoir couplings are compared highlighting differences and analogies. We discuss quantitatively and qualitatively the conditions under which the counter rotating terms can be neglected. By comparing the analytic solution of the heating function relative to the two different coupling models we conclude that, even in the weak coupling limit, the counter rotating terms give rise to a significant contribution in the non--Markovian short time regime. The main result of this paper is that such a contribution is actually experimentally measurable and thus relevant for a correct description of the system dynamics.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

Loss induced collective subradiant Dicke behaviour in a multiatom sample

The exact dynamics of $N$ two-level atoms coupled to a common electromagnetic bath and closely located inside a lossy cavity is reported. Stationary radiation trapping effects are found and very transparently interpreted in the context of our approach. We prove that initially injecting one excitation only in the $N$ atoms-cavity system, loss mechanisms asymptotically drive the matter sample toward a long-lived collective subradiant Dicke state. The role played by the closeness of the $N$ atoms with respect to such a cooperative behavior is brought to light and carefully discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to EPJ

Quantum theory of heating of a single trapped ion

The heating of trapped ions due to the interaction with a {\it quantized environment} is studied {\it without performing the Born-Markov approximation}. A generalized master equation local in time is derived and a novel theoretical approach to solve it analytically is proposed. Our master equation is in the Lindblad form with time dependent coefficients, thus allowing the simulation of the dynamics by means of the Monte Carlo Wave Function (MCWF) method.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Misbelief and misunderstandings on the non--Markovian dynamics of a damped harmonic oscillator

We use the exact solution for the damped harmonic oscillator to discuss some relevant aspects of its open dynamics often mislead or misunderstood. We compare two different approximations both referred to as Rotating Wave Approximation. Using a specific example, we clarify some issues related to non--Markovian dynamics, non--Lindblad type dynamics, and positivity of the density matrix.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, added info: submitted to J. Opt. B: Quantum and Semiclass. Opt., Special Issue of the 10th Central European Workshop on Quantum Optics, reference added, discussion clarifie

Stationary entanglement induced by dissipation

The dynamics of two two-level dipole-dipole interacting atoms coupled to a common electromagnetic bath and closely located inside a lossy cavity, is reported. Initially injecting only one excitation in the two atoms-cavity system, loss mechanisms asymptotically drive the matter sample toward a stationary maximally entangled state. The role played by the closeness of the two atoms with respect to such a cooperative behaviour is carefully discussed. Stationary radiation trapping effects are found and transparently interpreted.Comment: 1 figure, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Dynamics of a particle confined in a two-dimensional dilating and deforming domain

Some recent results concerning a particle confined in a one-dimensional box with moving walls are briefly reviewed. By exploiting the same techniques used for the 1D problem, we investigate the behavior of a quantum particle confined in a two-dimensional box (a 2D billiard) whose walls are moving, by recasting the relevant mathematical problem with moving boundaries in the form of a problem with fixed boundaries and time-dependent Hamiltonian. Changes of the shape of the box are shown to be important, as it clearly emerges from the comparison between the "pantographic", case (same shape of the box through all the process) and the case with deformation.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure

RACE-OC Project: Rotation and variability in the open cluster M11 (NGC6705)

Rotation and magnetic activity are intimately linked in main-sequence stars of G or later spectral types. The presence and level of magnetic activity depend on stellar rotation, and rotation itself is strongly influenced by strength and topology of the magnetic fields. Open clusters represent especially useful targets to investigate the rotation/activity/age connection. The open cluster M11 has been studied as a part of the RACE-OC project (Rotation and ACtivity Evolution in Open Clusters), which is aimed at exploring the evolution of rotation and magnetic activity in the late-type members of open clusters with different ages. Photometric observations of the open cluster M11 were carried out in June 2004 using LOAO 1m telescope. The rotation periods of the cluster members are determined by Fourier analysis of photometric data time series. We further investigated the relations between the surface activity, characterized by the light curve amplitude, and rotation. We have discovered a total of 75 periodic variables in the M11 FoV, of which 38 are candidate cluster members. Specifically, among cluster members we discovered 6 early-type, 2 eclipsing binaries and 30 bona-fide single periodic late-type variables. Considering the rotation periods of 16 G-type members of the almost coeval 200-Myr M34 cluster, we could determine the rotation period distribution from a more numerous sample of 46 single G stars at an age of about 200-230 Myr and determine a median rotation period P=4.8d. A comparison with the younger M35 cluster (~150 Myr) and with the older M37 cluster (~550 Myr) shows that G stars rotate slower than younger M35 stars and faster than older M37 stars. The measured variation of the median rotation period is consistent with the scenario of rotational braking of main-sequence spotted stars as they age.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics on Dec 15, 200