Abstract

We consider a simple quantized harmonic oscillator driven by a current of spin 1/2 particles resonant with the oscillator frequency. A possible realization of this model might be achieved in a micromaser. Our analysis shows that the system may evolve to pure states j of the field even for mixed state initial conditions. Specifically, writing the field state as |f⟩ = Σ_n|n⟩ we find the two possible solutions: For this reason we call these states cotangent and tangent states of the harmonic oscillator, respectively.

© 1989 Optical Society of America