Electromagnetic Field Induced Modification of Branching Ratios for Emission in Structured Vacuum

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how electromagnetic fields can alter emission branching ratios in structured vacuum environments, especially in cavity QED, with broad applicability to systems interacting with structured reservoirs.

Contribution

It introduces a fundamental effect of electromagnetic fields on emission branching ratios in structured vacuum, applicable across various quantum systems.

Findings

Branching ratios are significantly modified by electromagnetic fields.

Effects are prominent when the vacuum's spectral width matches the energy separation.

Results are applicable to any system with a structured reservoir.

Abstract

We report a fundamental effect of the electromagnetic field induced modification of the branching ratios for emission into several final states. The modifications are especially significant if the vacuum into which the atom is radiating has a finite spectral width comparable with the separation of the final states. This is easily realizable in cavity QED. Further our results are quite generic and are applicable to any system interacting with a structured reservoir.