Population trapping with quantized fields in two-channel models of atomic excitation

Abstract

In this paper, we study several models of two-channel atomic excitation involving quantized fields and search for field states that result in the trapping of the atomic population in a single bare state. This trapping is a result of quantum interference between the two channels. We study the following models: a two-level atom resonantly interacting with two quantized field modes, a two-level atom with competing one and three photon transitions, and a Raman coupled model containing both Stokes and anti-Stokes fields. We find a great variety of trapping states of the field, some of the states being highly non-classical. The effects of dissipation on the stability of the trapping states are discussed and a method for generating some of the states is presented.