The continuous quantum measurement of one blinking atom
In this work the author demonstrates that continuous quantum measurements, in which the state of a single quantum object is monitored over an extended period of time, can be described in the framework of quantum mechanics. This theory is developed in order to study measurements of the electromagnetic radiation from a single isolated atom. In particular, he studies a 2-level atom and a 3-level atom with a ground state, a rapidly decaying excited state and another excited state which is an extremely long-lived metastable state. It is shown that the three level atom emits a bistable signal, which consists of periods of continuous fluorescence from the strongly driven transition between the ground state and the rapidly decaying excited state, that are randomly alternated by periods of no photon emission, when the atom is driven by another, weak, laser to the metastable level where it is shelved for a long time. Comprehensive analysis of the statistics of the radiation sequence of the three level atom is given. The probability distribution functions for the lengths of the light and dark intervals of the emitted signal are computed for arbitrary detunings of the two lasers. The expressions for the probabilities of the light switching on or off n times during a time interval of length T, are obtained in terms of the Laguerre polynomials. In relation to the possible use of the 3-level atom as a frequency standard with an accuracy of one part in 1,018, he gives an exhaustive treatment of the power shift and power broadening effects, which include the Autler-Townes effect, the quadratic A.C. Stark effect, and the effect of the ground state acquiring finite width in the presence of the driving field.
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ., Seattle, WA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5026981
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ATOMS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
DE-EXCITATION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
EXCITED STATES
FLUORESCENCE
GROUND STATES
LASERS
MONITORING
PHOTON EMISSION
QUANTUM MECHANICS
STARK EFFECT
USES
EMISSION
ENERGY LEVELS
FUNCTIONS
LUMINESCENCE
MECHANICS
RADIATIONS
640302* - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Atomic & Molecular Properties & Theory