Quasiprobability distributions for the Jaynes-Cummings model with cavity damping

Abstract

The Jaynes-Cummings model with cavity damping is investigated in the rotated-wave approximation. First we introduce six appropriate combinations of the matrix elements of the density operator, which are still operators with respect to the light field. With the help of the s-parametrized quasiprobability distributions of Cahill and Glauber [Phys. Rev. 177, 1882 (1969)] the equations of motion for the density operator transform to six coupled partial-differential equations. By expanding the quasiprobability distributions into two suitable sets, we obtain six tridiagonally coupled differential equations for the expansion coefficients, which are solved by a Runge-Kutta method. Starting with an initial coherent state of the cavity field and the atom in its upper state, we find that the initially one-peak quasiprobability function splits into two peaked functions counterrotating in the complex plane and, depending on the damping constant, spiraling into the origin. Revivals of the inversion oscillation are found for those times, when the two peaks collide. The time dependence of the inversion and the intensity as well as some special distributions of interest are also discussed.