Abstract

While for the most part quantum statistical processes in quantum optics are investigated in a weak coupling regime, it has recently become possible to realize experimentally optical systems for which the internal coupling coefficient g is comparable to the external dissipative rates. Within this context the subject of our investigation is the quantum dynamical processes for a collection of N two-state atoms strongly coupled to a single mode of a high finesse optical cavity, Our particular experiment consists of a small collection of Cesium atoms (6S_1/2, F = 4 → 6P_3/2, F = 5 transition at 852nm) interacting with the TEM₀₀ mode of a spherical mirror cavity. The critical technical advance for this work is the attainment of extremely low loss mirrors for high finesse (10³ – 10⁶) and hence long photon lifetime even in a small cavity.^[1]

© 1992 Optical Society of America