Frontiers in Physics (Apr 2021)

High Order Coherence Functions and Spectral Distributions as Given by the Scully-Lamb Quantum Theory of the Laser

  • Tao Peng,
  • Xingchen Zhao,
  • Yanhua Shih,
  • Marlan O. Scully,
  • Marlan O. Scully,
  • Marlan O. Scully

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2021.657333
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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We propose and demonstrate a method for measuring the time evolution of the off-diagonal elements ρn,n+k(t) of the reduced density matrix obtained from the quantum theory of the laser. The decay rates of the off-diagonal matrix element ρn,n+k(t) (k = 2,3) are measured for the first time and compared with that of ρn,n+1(t), which corresponds to the linewidth of the laser. The experimental results agree with the Scully-Lamb quantum theory of the laser.

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