Coupling a discrete state to a quasi-continuum: A model quantum mechanical system that interpolates between Rabi oscillations and decay-revival dynamics

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: İşgörür, Enes Kutay, Cevheroğlu, Osman, Özakın, Arkadaş
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866915723418271744
author İşgörür, Enes Kutay
Cevheroğlu, Osman
Özakın, Arkadaş
author_facet İşgörür, Enes Kutay
Cevheroğlu, Osman
Özakın, Arkadaş
contents We formulate a quantum mechanical system consisting of a single discrete state coupled to an infinite ladder of equally-spaced states, the coupling between the two being given by a Lorentzian profile. Various limits of this system correspond to well-known models from quantum optics, namely, the narrow resonance limit gives the Rabi system, the wide resonance limit gives the Bixon-Jortner system, the wide resonance, true continuum limit gives the Wigner-Weisskopf system, and the fixed resonance, true continuum limit gives a system that is typically studied by methods developed by Fano. We give a semi-analytical solution of the eigenvalue problem by reducing it to a transcendental equation, and demonstrate the aforementioned limiting behaviors. We then study the dynamics of the initial discrete state numerically, and show that it gives a wide range of behaviors in various limiting cases as predicted by our asymptotic theory including exponential decay, revivals, Rabi oscillations, and damped oscillations. The ability of this system to interpolate between such a rich set of behaviors and existing model systems, and the accessibility of a semi-analytical solution, make it a useful model system in quantum optics and related fields.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_07557
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Coupling a discrete state to a quasi-continuum: A model quantum mechanical system that interpolates between Rabi oscillations and decay-revival dynamics
İşgörür, Enes Kutay
Cevheroğlu, Osman
Özakın, Arkadaş
Quantum Physics
Optics
We formulate a quantum mechanical system consisting of a single discrete state coupled to an infinite ladder of equally-spaced states, the coupling between the two being given by a Lorentzian profile. Various limits of this system correspond to well-known models from quantum optics, namely, the narrow resonance limit gives the Rabi system, the wide resonance limit gives the Bixon-Jortner system, the wide resonance, true continuum limit gives the Wigner-Weisskopf system, and the fixed resonance, true continuum limit gives a system that is typically studied by methods developed by Fano. We give a semi-analytical solution of the eigenvalue problem by reducing it to a transcendental equation, and demonstrate the aforementioned limiting behaviors. We then study the dynamics of the initial discrete state numerically, and show that it gives a wide range of behaviors in various limiting cases as predicted by our asymptotic theory including exponential decay, revivals, Rabi oscillations, and damped oscillations. The ability of this system to interpolate between such a rich set of behaviors and existing model systems, and the accessibility of a semi-analytical solution, make it a useful model system in quantum optics and related fields.
title Coupling a discrete state to a quasi-continuum: A model quantum mechanical system that interpolates between Rabi oscillations and decay-revival dynamics
topic Quantum Physics
Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.07557