Dark-state and loss-induced phenomena in the quantum-optical regime of Λ -type three-level systems

Abstract

The interaction of matter with quantum light leads to phenomena which cannot be explained by semiclassical approaches. Of particular interest are states with broad photon number distributions which allow processes with high-order Fock states. Here, we analyze a Jaynes-Cummings-type model with three electronic levels which is excited by quantum light. As quantum light we consider coherent and squeezed states. In our simulations we include several loss mechanisms, namely, dephasing, cavity, and radiative losses which are relevant in real systems. We demonstrate that losses allow one to control the population of electronic levels and may induce coherent population trapping, as well as lead to a redistribution of the photon statistics among the quantum fields and even to a transfer of the photon statistics from one field to another. Moreover, we introduce and analyze a novel quantity, the quantum polarization, and demonstrate its fundamental difference compared to the classical polarization. Using the quantum polarization and the third level population, we investigate electromagnetically induced transparency in the presence of quantum light and show its special features for the case of squeezed light. Finally, quantum correlations between fields are studied and analyzed in the presence of different types of losses.

Transfer of correlations from photons to electron excitations and currents induced in semiconductor quantum wells by non-classical twisted light

“…Rabi transitions between the electronic levels, typical for resonant classical fields, are found to be suppressed for all three affecting quantum fields: fast oscillations are not regular and do not lead to a complete depletion of any level. As a result, the level populations P i (t) in figure 2 for all fields are seen to oscillate with relatively small amplitudes about certain non-zero mean values dependent on the initial field statistics, and for coherent fields (figure 2(a)) the regimes of pronounced repeated collapses and revivals are revealed [35][36][37]42]. The existence of these nearly constant non-zero values of the electronic state populations is of fundamental importance for controlling such states and induced currents, since it becomes possible to excite the system into such a state with a probability that practically does not change in time.…”

“…In this paper we investigate the excitation and currents induced in nanostructured semiconductor systems by quantized fields with non-zero OAM. Based on the previous works [11,12,[35][36][37] we develop a theoretical approach, which describes beyond the perturbation theory the interaction of a semiconductor quantum well (SQW) with two modes of nonclassical fields characterized by opposite OAM and a special case of tween-beams of squeezed light with strongly correlated photons is considered. We focus mainly on the influence of photon correlations on the electron excitations and currents induced by quantum light as well as on possible transfer of correlations from the field to electron subsystem.…”

Steady states of Λ-type three-level systems excited by quantum light with various photon statistics in lossy cavities

“…This approach is used to study 3LS interacting with quantum field modes in a cavity. Λ-type 3LS can successfully describe a wide range of matter systems and exhibit unique properties that are beneficial for many quantum applications [11,[19][20][21][22][23][24], especially when such kind of systems interact with quantum light [25]. Many atomic systems and even semiconductor structures can be treated as Λ-type 3LS.…”

Steady states of $Λ$-type three-level systems excited by quantum light in lossy cavities

“…Λ-type three-level systems (3LS) exhibit unique properties that are beneficial in a wide range of quantum applications [12][13][14][15][16][17][18], and show interesting effects in the presence of radiative losses [19]. Optically-excited semiconductor quantum wells in microcavities have been demonstrated to form a Λ-system from two excitonpolariton states and the 2p-exciton state, which can be resonantly driven with short terahertz pulses [20,21].…”