TY - JOUR

T1 - Polariton dynamics in one-dimensional arrays of atoms coupled to waveguides

AU - Schrinski, Bjoern

AU - Sorensen, Anders S.

PY - 2022/12/1

Y1 - 2022/12/1

N2 - Photons strongly coupled to material systems constitute a novel system for realizing non-linear optics at the level of individual photons and studying the dynamics of non-equilibrium quantum many-body system. We give a simple physical polariton-picture of the dynamics of photons coupled to a one-dimensional array of two-level atoms. This picture allows a fully analytical description of the dynamics in terms of polariton scattering inside the medium and reflections of the polaritons from the edge of the array. We show that inelastic collisions, previously identified in small systems, also occur in infinite systems and are related to the existence of multiple bands in the dispersion relation. The developed theory constitutes an effective field theory for the dynamics, which can be used for studies of non-linear optics and many-body dynamics. As a specific example we map the system to the Lieb-Liniger model and show that a so-called Tonks-Girardeau gas of photons is a stable eigenstate of the system in the limit of many emitters.

AB - Photons strongly coupled to material systems constitute a novel system for realizing non-linear optics at the level of individual photons and studying the dynamics of non-equilibrium quantum many-body system. We give a simple physical polariton-picture of the dynamics of photons coupled to a one-dimensional array of two-level atoms. This picture allows a fully analytical description of the dynamics in terms of polariton scattering inside the medium and reflections of the polaritons from the edge of the array. We show that inelastic collisions, previously identified in small systems, also occur in infinite systems and are related to the existence of multiple bands in the dispersion relation. The developed theory constitutes an effective field theory for the dynamics, which can be used for studies of non-linear optics and many-body dynamics. As a specific example we map the system to the Lieb-Liniger model and show that a so-called Tonks-Girardeau gas of photons is a stable eigenstate of the system in the limit of many emitters.

KW - quantum nonlinear optics

KW - waveguide QED

KW - subradiance

KW - scattering resonances

KW - Tonks-Girardeau gas of photons

KW - QUANTUM NONLINEAR OPTICS

KW - SINGLE PHOTONS

KW - STATE

U2 - 10.1088/1367-2630/acaa4f

DO - 10.1088/1367-2630/acaa4f

M3 - Journal article

VL - 24

JO - New Journal of Physics

JF - New Journal of Physics

SN - 1367-2630

IS - 12

M1 - 123023

ER -