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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.11191 |
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| _version_ | 1866911106085158912 |
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| author | Wang, Chih-Wei Wu, Jhih-Sheng |
| author_facet | Wang, Chih-Wei Wu, Jhih-Sheng |
| contents | Thermal light engineering is a field of considerable interest and potential. We study quantum light-matter interactions in a one-dimensional photonic crystal with two-level atoms as the active medium, replacing classical oscillators in traditional blackbody models. In a thermal bath with pumping, these atoms modulate thermal emission via interactions with photonic modes. The model with quantum two-level systems enables the processes of spontaneous emission, stimulated absorption, and stimulated emission. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium regimes depend on competition between pumping and thermal relaxation rates. Strong light-matter interaction and photon decay govern dynamics and steady states. In equilibrium, with a high thermal relaxation rate, photon numbers are initially determined by spontaneous emission and later stabilize due to stimulated absorption, influenced by light-matter interaction strength. In-band-gap photons reach steady states at a time scale of one or two orders of magnitude longer than outside-band-gap photons. Interestingly, for a strong light-matter interaction, all photons in the equilibrium regimes show Planckian radiation, regardless of their frequencies in or out of the band gaps. Band-gap suppression of thermal emission is more pronounced with weaker light-matter interaction or larger photon decay. In the nonequilibrium regime, the dynamics of photon numbers exhibit a multi-time-scale process transitioning to steady states due to strong pumping and stimulated processes. Steady-state electron populations of two-level atoms deviate from the Fermi-Dirac distribution, and the steady-state photon numbers exhibit super-Planckian emission. These findings enable quantum control of thermal emission spectra, which is relevant for reducing thermal noise in quantum computing or enhancing radiative cooling. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_11191 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Quantum Control of Thermal Emission from Photonic Crystals with Two-Level Atoms Wang, Chih-Wei Wu, Jhih-Sheng Quantum Physics Optics Thermal light engineering is a field of considerable interest and potential. We study quantum light-matter interactions in a one-dimensional photonic crystal with two-level atoms as the active medium, replacing classical oscillators in traditional blackbody models. In a thermal bath with pumping, these atoms modulate thermal emission via interactions with photonic modes. The model with quantum two-level systems enables the processes of spontaneous emission, stimulated absorption, and stimulated emission. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium regimes depend on competition between pumping and thermal relaxation rates. Strong light-matter interaction and photon decay govern dynamics and steady states. In equilibrium, with a high thermal relaxation rate, photon numbers are initially determined by spontaneous emission and later stabilize due to stimulated absorption, influenced by light-matter interaction strength. In-band-gap photons reach steady states at a time scale of one or two orders of magnitude longer than outside-band-gap photons. Interestingly, for a strong light-matter interaction, all photons in the equilibrium regimes show Planckian radiation, regardless of their frequencies in or out of the band gaps. Band-gap suppression of thermal emission is more pronounced with weaker light-matter interaction or larger photon decay. In the nonequilibrium regime, the dynamics of photon numbers exhibit a multi-time-scale process transitioning to steady states due to strong pumping and stimulated processes. Steady-state electron populations of two-level atoms deviate from the Fermi-Dirac distribution, and the steady-state photon numbers exhibit super-Planckian emission. These findings enable quantum control of thermal emission spectra, which is relevant for reducing thermal noise in quantum computing or enhancing radiative cooling. |
| title | Quantum Control of Thermal Emission from Photonic Crystals with Two-Level Atoms |
| topic | Quantum Physics Optics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.11191 |