Dicke superradiance in ordered lattices: dimensionality matters

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the dimensionality of ordered atomic arrays influences Dicke superradiance, revealing that 2D and 3D arrays exhibit superradiance through constructive interference, while 1D arrays do so via destructive interference, with critical distances scaling differently.

Contribution

It demonstrates that array dimensionality determines superradiance behavior, providing new insights into many-body decay processes in atomic arrays across different dimensions.

Findings

Superradiance occurs in 2D and 3D arrays due to constructive interference.

Critical interatomic distance scales sublogarithmically in 2D and as a power law in 3D.

In 1D arrays, superradiance results from destructive interference and saturates with atom number.

Abstract

Dicke superradiance in ordered atomic arrays is a phenomenon where atomic synchronization gives rise to a burst in photon emission. This superradiant burst only occurs if there is one -- or just a few -- dominant decay channels. For a fixed atom number, this happens only below a critical interatomic distance. Here we show that array dimensionality is the determinant factor that drives superradiance. In 2D and 3D arrays, superradiance occurs due to constructive interference, which grows stronger with atom number. This leads to a critical distance that scales sublogarithmically with atom number in 2D, and as a power law in 3D. In 1D arrays, superradiance occurs due to destructive interference that effectively switches off certain decay channels, yielding a critical distance that saturates with atom number. Our results provide a guide to explore many-body decay in state-of-the art experimental setups.