Detection of cavity fields by means of quantum-jump statistics
Jan Grochmalicki, Maciej Lewenstein · Physical Review A · 1989
We consider a single three-level atom placed inside a resonant cavity and simultaneously probed in a double-resonance ladder configuration by a relatively strong laser beam. It is shown that photocounting statistics of a fluorescence signal induced by the probe, in certain circumstances, exhibits dark periods (i.e., quantum jumps are present), reflecting the statistical properties of the field inside the cavity. Comparisons are made between the number, thermal, coherent, and squeezed states. Specific features of the latter are pointed out.