Abstract

The radiative properties of atoms inside a cavity have been the subject of intense investigations in recent years under the broad heading of Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics. Most well known are the effects of cavity enhanced and inhibited spontaneous emission in the perturbative regime, and the nonperturbative (strong coupling) effect of “vacuum” Rabi splitting. One model system that has received a lot of theoretical attention comprises a single atom coupled strongly to a single quantized cavity mode, driven by an external coherent field, and including cavity damping and spontaneous emission. By allowing for a flux of energy through the atom/cavity system, this system can evolve to a nonequilibrium steady state that exhibits many interesting and novel features.

© 1992 IQEC