Deciphering the spectral collapse in two-photon Rabi model

Abstract

In this communication, based upon a squeezed-state trial wave function, we have performed a simple variational study of the spectral collapse of the two-photon Rabi model. Our analysis indicates that the light-matter interaction and the spin-flipping effectively constitute two competing impacts upon the radiation mode. Whilst the former tries to decrease the radiation mode frequency, the latter may counteract or reinforce it, contingent upon the state of the atomic system. The light–matter interaction appears to dominate the frequency modulation as its coupling strength goes beyond the critical value, leading to the emergence of the spectral collapse. However, at the critical coupling the dominance of the light–matter interaction is not complete, and incomplete spectral collapse appears. The extent of incomplete spectral collapse is found to depend upon the energy difference between the two atomic levels as well.