Abstract
The conjunction of atom-cavity physics and photonic structures (“solid light” systems) offers new opportunities in terms of more device functionality and the probing of designed emulators of condensed-matter systems. By analogy to the canonical one-electron approximation of solid-state physics, we propose a one-polariton approximation to study these systems. Using this approximation, we apply Bloch states to the uniformly tuned Jaynes-Cummings-Hubbard model to analytically determine the energy-band structure. By analyzing the response of the band structure to local atom-cavity control, we explore its application as a quantum simulator and show phase-transition features absent in mean-field theory. Using this approach for solid light systems, we extend the analysis to include detuning impurities to show the solid light analogy of the semiconductor. This investigation also shows features with no semiconductor analog.
- Received 15 September 2009
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.80.063838
©2009 American Physical Society
Synopsis
Light takes a solid position
Published 11 January 2010
Coupled atom cavities can emulate the many-body behavior of condensed matter systems.
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