Quantum dipole emitters in structured environments: A scattering approach (tutorial)

TL;DR

This paper introduces a semi-classical scattering formalism to model the interaction between quantum emitters and structured environments, unifying various light-matter interaction regimes and serving as a foundation for future quantum electrodynamics models.

Contribution

It presents a simple, intuitive scattering approach to describe emitter-environment coupling, covering multiple interaction regimes within a unified framework.

Findings

Derives a coupling equation from Green functions and polarizability.

Identifies the common ground of different light-matter interaction regimes.

Provides a basis for more advanced quantum electrodynamics models.

Abstract

We provide a simple semi-classical formalism to describe the coupling between one or several quantum emitters and a structured environment. Describing the emitter by an electric polarizability, and the surrounding medium by a Green function, we show that an intuitive scattering picture allows one to derive a coupling equation from which the eigenfrequencies of the coupled system can be extracted. The model covers a variety of regimes observed in light-matter interaction, including weak and strong coupling, coherent collective interactions, and incoherent energy transfer. It provides a unified description of many processes, showing that different interaction regimes are actually rooted on the same ground. It can also serve as a basis for the development of more refined models in a full quantum electrodynamics framework.