Collective effects of multi-scatterer on coherent propagation of photon in a two dimensional network

TL;DR

This paper investigates how multiple layers of two-level atoms in a 2D cavity array affect single-photon scattering, revealing collective shifts and transparency phenomena that advance understanding of photon transport in 2D systems.

Contribution

It analytically models single-photon scattering in a 2D atomic array, uncovering collective effects and inter-layer couplings that were not previously characterized.

Findings

Atomic collective excitation causes spectral shifts.

Two layers induce an electromagnetic transparency-like effect.

Results aid understanding of high-energy photon scattering in layered materials.

Abstract

We study the collective phenomenon in the scattering of a single-photon by one or two layers of two-level atoms. By modeling the photon dispersion with a two-dimensional (2D) coupled cavity array, we analytically derive the scattering probability of a single-photon. It is discovered that in the case with one layer of atoms, the atomic collective excitation leads to a shift for the single-photon scattering spectrum. Such a shift is related to the density of the atomic ensemble. For the case with two layers of atoms, an inter-layer effective coupling appears and induces an electromagnetic-induced-transparency-like phenomenon for the single-photon scattering. Our result provides a new scheme of analyzing photon coherent transport in 2D and may help to understand the current experiments about the high energy photon scattering by the layer nuclei material.