Universal trapping law induced by atomic cloud in single-photon cooperative dynamics

TL;DR

This paper reveals a universal trapping law in single-photon cooperative dynamics of quantum emitters coupled via a bosonic bath, where excitation population is inhibited based on emitter number due to dark states.

Contribution

It introduces a universal trapping law linked to dark states in quantum emitter assemblies, independent of bath specifics, affecting spontaneous emission at the single-photon level.

Findings

Population trapping is universal and depends on emitter number.

Spontaneous emission is inhibited in large emitter assemblies.

Dark states govern the trapping mechanism.

Abstract

Single-photon cooperative dynamics of an assembly of two-level quantum emitters coupled by a bosonic bath are investigated. The bosonic bath is general and it can be anything as long as the exchange of excitations between quantum emitters and bath is present. In these systems, it is found that the population on the excited emitter keeps a simple and universal trapping law due to the existence of system's dark states. Different from the trapping regime caused by photonemitter dressed states, this type of trapping is only associated with the number of quantum emitters. According to the trapping law, the cooperative spontaneous emission at single-photon level in this kind of systems is universally inhibited when the emitter number is large enough.