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[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium - Stuart James Masson
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Dr. Stuart James Masson, Columbia University New York City, Title: Collective decay in ordered arrays of quantum emitters
Abstract: Collective phenomena are found in every branch of science; the behavior of the whole differs strongly from the behavior of the individual elements. In quantum optics, a hallmark example is Dicke superradiance. Here, a fully inverted ensemble of quantum emitters emits a short and bright light pulse, known as a superradiant burst, that initially grows in intensity. This is in stark contrast to independent atoms which decay exponentially, emitting a pulse that monotonically decreases in time. Experiments in dense disordered systems have observed the superradiant burst, but there, inhomogeneous broadening plays a large role, making the systems hard to model or control. In contrast, ordered arrays have much lower inhomogeneity - emitters in the bulk all see the same set of neighbors - making them an ideal platform to study dissipative many-body physics. Here, we show the conditions under which such systems produce a superradiant burst. We go beyond two-level approximations, and demonstrate that long-wavelength transitions from ytterbium and strontium atoms can be used to observe such physics. Using the insight gained, we then show how to use such systems as generators of non-classical light.
Sponsored by: Physics