Exact Quantum Electrodynamics of Radiative Photonic Environments

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Nanophotonics
• Theoretical physics

Background:

• Quantum emitters interact with complex electromagnetic environments.
• Existing methods often rely on approximations, limiting accuracy for non-Markovian dynamics.
• Quantizing non-Hermitian systems presents significant theoretical challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a comprehensive second quantization scheme for radiative photonic devices.
• To provide an exact description of quantum emitters interacting with electromagnetic fields.
• To overcome limitations of current methods in handling non-Markovian dynamics and non-Hermitian systems.

Main Methods:

• Canonical quantization of photonic eigenmodes.
• Transformation of continuous modes into a discrete set of pseudomodes.
• Development of a method applicable to diverse nanophotonic geometries without reservoir approximations.

Main Results:

• A complete and exact description of quantum emitters in electromagnetic environments.
• Accurate capture of all non-Markovian quantum dynamics.
• A scheme that successfully quantizes non-Hermitian systems.

Conclusions:

• The presented second quantization scheme offers a powerful tool for studying quantum correlations in photonic devices.
• This method provides new insights into quantum emitter-environment interactions.
• The scheme's applicability to various nanophotonic geometries broadens its potential impact.