Electroluminescence and multi-photon effects in a resonator driven by a tunnel junction

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum dynamics of a resonator driven by electron tunneling, revealing electroluminescence optimization and multi-photon effects in transport noise, using a quantum master equation approach.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of electroluminescence and multi-photon phenomena in a resonator driven by a tunnel junction, highlighting the conditions for optimal emission and strong coupling effects.

Findings

Electroluminescence peaks are maximized when back-action and decay rates are similar.

Multi-photon effects emerge in the noise spectrum under strong coupling.

Optimal emission occurs at specific coupling and decay rate conditions.

Abstract

We consider a transmission line resonator which is driven by electrons tunneling through a voltage-biased tunnel junction. Using the Born-Markovian quantum master equation in the polaron basis we investigate the nonequilibrium photon state and emission spectrum of the resonator as well as properties of the transport current across the tunnel junction and its noise spectrum. The electroluminescence is optimized, with maximum peak height and narrow linewidth, when the back-action of the tunnel junction on the resonator and the decay rate of the resonator are similar in strength. For strong coupling between the resonator and tunnel junction, multi-photon effects show up in the noise spectrum of the transport current.