Partially dark optical molecule via phase control

TL;DR

This paper explores how phase control in an optical molecule allows for tunable photon distribution and the creation of a partially dark cavity, with potential applications in quantum control.

Contribution

It introduces a phase-controlled mechanism to achieve a partially dark optical molecule and demonstrates the ability to switch darkness between cavities.

Findings

Achieved zero photon number in one cavity via phase control.

Darkness can be transferred between cavities by adjusting phase difference.

Coupling with atomic ensembles modifies the dark condition for the second cavity.

Abstract

We study the tunable photonic distribution in an optical molecule consisting of two linearly coupled single-mode cavities. With the inter-cavity coupling and two driving fields, the energy levels of the optical-molecule system form a closed cyclic energy-level diagram, and the phase difference between the driving fields serves as a sensitive controller on the dynamics of the system. Due to the quantum interference effect, we can realize a partially dark optical molecule, where the steady-state mean photon number in one of the cavities achieves zero even under the external driving. And the dark cavity can be changed from one of the cavities to the other by only adjusting the phase difference. Furthermore, we show that when one of the cavities couples with an atomic ensemble, it will be dark under the same condition as that without atoms, but the condition for the other cavity to be dark is modified.