CoOMBE: A suite of open-source programs for the integration of the optical Bloch equations and Maxwell-Bloch equations

TL;DR

This paper introduces CoOMBE, an open-source software suite in Fortran 90 for simulating optical Bloch and Maxwell-Bloch equations, applicable to quantum systems and atomic vapors, with user-friendly features.

Contribution

It provides a versatile, accessible set of programs for integrating key quantum optical equations, including the optical Bloch and Maxwell-Bloch equations, with methods for steady-state and weak probe approximations.

Findings

Efficient integration of optical Bloch equations in quantum systems.

Simulation of 1D Maxwell-Bloch equations for co-propagating laser fields.

Tools for steady-state and weak probe regime calculations.

Abstract

The programs described in this article and distributed with it aim (1) at integrating the optical Bloch equations governing the time evolution of the density matrix representing the quantum state of an atomic system driven by laser or microwave fields, and (2) at integrating the 1D Maxwell-Bloch equations for one or two laser fields co-propagating in an atomic vapour. The rotating wave approximation is assumed. These programs can also be used for more general quantum dynamical systems governed by the Lindblad master equation. They are written in Fortran 90; however, their use does not require any knowledge of Fortran programming. Methods for solving the optical Bloch equations in the rate equations limit, for calculating the steady-state density matrix and for formulating the optical Bloch equations in the weak probe approximation are also described.