A linear atomic quantum coupler

Abstract

In this paper, we develop the notion of the linear atomic quantum coupler. This device consists of two modes propagating into two waveguides, each of them includes a localized and/or a trapped atom. These waveguides are placed close enough to allow exchanging energy between them via evanescent waves. Each mode interacts with the atom in the same waveguide in the standard way, i.e. as the Jaynes-Cummings model (JCM), and with the atom-mode in the second waveguide via evanescent wave. We present the Hamiltonian for the system and deduce the exact form for the wavefunction. We investigate the atomic inversions and the second-order correlation function. In contrast to the conventional linear coupler, the atomic quantum coupler is able to generate nonclassical effects. The atomic inversions can exhibit long revival-collapse phenomenon as well as subsidiary revivals based on the competition among the switching mechanisms in the system. Finally, under certain conditions, the system can yield the results of the two-mode JCM.

Atoms versus photons as carriers of quantum states

“…Other schemes involve a chain of remote cavities each containing a single atom or optical lattice, the so-called Jaynes-Cummings (JC) cells [13][14][15]. The cells could be independent [16][17][18][19][20], or coupled to each other through the overlapping field modes [21][22][23][24][25][26], connected by a short fibre [27][28][29][30][31][32]. In these schemes, photons act as carriers for the transfer of quantum states and controlled transfer is implemented by an appropriate choice of the coupling strength of the overlapping field modes.…”