A NEW LOOK AT THE JAYNES-CUMMINGS MODEL FOR LARGE FIELDS - BLOCH SPHERE EVOLUTION AND DETUNING EFFECTS

This paper elaborates on the recently discovered asymptotic solution for the Jaynes-Cummings model for large, coherent-like initial fields, The nature of the asymptotic solution and its physical meaning are explored. A connection to the prediction of the neoclassical theory is established. The various aspects of the atomic state evolution, including collapses and revivals, quasi-pure state evolution, and state preparation. are illustrated using the Bloch sphere. It is shown that the asymptotic solution provides qualitative insights even for rather low initial fields. The results are also extended to include the effects of detuning. Quasi-pure state evolution is still obtained when the initial state is one of the semiclassical stationary states, but for large detuning an atom prepared in an arbitrary initial state no longer evolves towards a unique pure state at half-revival time.