The properties of $r$-mode harmonic-oscillator coherent states are reviewed. In particular, the $\mathcal{D}$-algebra differential-operator realization of the creation and annihilation operators on the coherent states and their diagonal projectors is constructed. A homomorphism between the algebra describing $r$-field modes and the algebra describing $r$-level systems is exhibited explicitly. This homomorphism allows the projection of the multimode calculus onto the multilevel calculus. In particular, multimode coherent states and projectors can be used as generating functions for multilevel coherent states and projectors. In addition, the multilevel $\mathcal{D}$ algebra is constructed directly from the multimode $\mathcal{D}$ algebra under this homomorphism. For illustrative purposes, the $\mathcal{D}$ algebra for the diagonal coherent-state projectors for two-level atomic systems is presented explicitly in terms of a parametrization in the Bloch angles $\theta$ and $\varphi$. Two classes of applications are treated: (a) the mapping of atomic-density-operator equations of motion into phase-space equations of motion for the quasiprobability weighting function $P$; (b) the construction of equations of motion for the diagonal elements $Q$ of the density operator in the coherent states. It is shown that the solution to either equation with the appropriate initial condition gives complete statistical information for the atomic system. It is shown explicitly that the functions $P$ and $Q$ are related by a convolution integral.

• Received 27 March 1975

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.12.1019