Abstract.
We perform a calculation of the linewidth of a micromaser, using the master equation and the quantum regression approach. A `dephasing' contribution is identified from pumping processes that conserve the photon number and do not appear in the photon statistics. We work out examples for a single-atom maser with a precisely controlled coupling and for a laser where the interaction time is broadly distributed. In the latter case, we also assess the convergence of a recently developed uniform Lindblad approximation to the master equation; it is relatively slow.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
H. Walther, Phys. Scr. 1, 138 (1998)
R. Loudon, The Quantum Theory of Light, 3rd edn. (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000)
M. Orszag, Quantum Optics – Including Noise Reduction, Trapped Ions, Quantum Trajectories and Decoherence (Springer, Berlin, 2000)
D. Meschede, H. Walther, G. Müller, Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 551 (1985)
M. Brune, J.M. Raimond, P. Goy, L. Davidovich, S. Haroche, Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 1899 (1987)
O. Benson, G. Raithel, H. Walther, Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 3506 (1994)
M. Weidinger, B.T.H. Varcoe, R. Heerlein, H. Walther, Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 3795 (1999)
B.T.H. Varcoe, S. Brattke, M. Weidinger, H. Walther, Nature 403, 743 (2000)
Q. Turchette, C. Hood, W. Lange, H. Mabuchi, H. Kimble, Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 4710 (1995)
G. Nogues, A. Rauschenbeutel, S. Osnaghi, M. Brune, J.M. Raimond, S. Haroche, Nature 400, 239 (1999)
P. Filipowicz, J. Javanainen, P. Meystre, Phys. Rev. A 34, 3077 (1986)
M.O. Scully, H. Walther, G.S. Agarwal, T. Quang, W. Schleich, Phys. Rev. A 44, 5992 (1991)
M.O. Scully, W.E. Lamb, Phys. Rev. A 166, 246 (1968)
M. Lax, Phys. Rev. 129, 2342 (1963)
M. Lax, Opt. Commun. 179, 463 (2000)
K. Vogel, W.P. Schleich, M.O. Scully, H. Walther, Phys. Rev. A 48, 813 (1993)
R.R. McGowan, W.C. Schieve, Phys. Rev. A 55, 3813 (1997)
H.-J. Briegel, B.-G. Englert, M.O. Scully, Phys. Rev. A 54, 3603 (1996)
U. Herzog, J.A. Bergou, Phys. Rev. A 55, 1385 (1997)
C. Henkel, J. Phys. B: Atom. Mol. Opt. Phys. 40, 2359 (2007)
L.A. Lugiato, M.O. Scully, H. Walther, Phys. Rev. A 36, 740 (1987)
T. Quang, G.S. Agarwal, J. Bergou, M.O. Scully, H. Walther, K. Vogel, W.P. Schleich, Phys. Rev. A 48, 803 (1993)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Henkel, C. Micromaser line broadening without photon exchange. Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 160, 217–224 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2008-00725-8
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2008-00725-8