Suppressing normal mode excitation by quantum interference in a cavity-atom system.
Collective coupling of multiple atoms with a cavity mode produces two normal modes that are separated in energy by Vacuum Rabi splitting. We show that the normal mode excitation of the cavity-atom system can be suppressed by coupling a control laser to the atomic system from free space. The control laser splits the normal mode of the cavity-atoms system and opens two excitation channels. The destructive quantum interference between the two channels renders the cavity-atoms system opaque to the light coupled to the cavity-atom system. We demonstrate suppression of the normal mode excitation by the destructive quantum interference in an experiment using cold Rb atoms confined in an optical cavity.
Zhang
Jiepeng
J
Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA.
Hernandez
Gessler
G
Zhu
Yifu
Y
D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011789:Quantum Theory; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation