Theory of a single-atom laser including light forces

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.72.033805· OSTI ID:20718613

Salzburger, Thomas; Ritsch, Helmut ^[1]; Domokos, Peter ^[2]

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1. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Technikerstrae 25/2 (Austria)
2. Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary)

We study a single incoherently pumped atom moving within an optical high-Q resonator in the strong-coupling regime. Using a semiclassical description for the atom and field dynamics, we derive a closed system of differential equations to describe this coupled atom-field dynamics. For sufficiently strong pumping, the system starts lasing when the atom gets close to a field antinode, and the associated light forces provide for self-trapping of the atom. For a cavity mode blue detuned with respect to the atomic transition frequency, this is combined with cavity-induced motional cooling, allowing for long-term steady-state operation of such a laser. The analytical results for temperature and field statistics agree well with our earlier predictions based on quantum Monte Carlo simulations. We find sub-Doppler temperatures that decrease with gain and coupling strength, and can even go beyond the limit of passive cavity cooling. Besides demonstrating the importance of light forces in single-atom lasers, this result also gives strong evidence to enhance laser cooling through stimulated emission in resonators.

• OSTI ID: 20718613
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 72, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.72.033805; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COOLING
COUPLING
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
GAIN
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
PUMPING
RESONATORS
SEMICLASSICAL APPROXIMATION
STATISTICS
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
STIMULATED EMISSION
TRAPPING
VISIBLE RADIATION