PHYSICAL REVIEW A VOLUME 49, NUlVfBER l JANUARY 1994

Effective Hamiltonian for the radiation in a cavity with a moving mirror

and a time-varying dielectric medium

C. K. Law
Department of Physics and Astronomy, of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627
University
(Received 12 July 1993)
We study the quantized field in a one-dimensional electromagnetic resonant cavity. The cavity con-
tains a linear and lossless dielectric medium with frequency-independent polarizabihty. The dielectric
permittivity is an externally prescribed function of both the space and the time. We also allow one of the
cavity s mirrors to move in a given trajectory. Unlike other previous studies on the same system, we for-
mulate an effective Hamiltonian so that the dynamics of the cavity field can be described in the
Schrodinger picture. The effective Hamiltonian is quadratic in structure, therefore two-photon genera-
tion from the vacuum state can occur. We also discuss the case of resonant behavior of the system.

PACS number(s): 42. 50.0v

I. INTRODUCTION similar effects on the cavity field, so they can be treated

on the same ground. In this paper, we adopt a different
In this paper, we study the quantized Geld in a quite approach to establish an effective Hamiltonian which is
general time-dependent cavity system. Both the refrac- consistent with the previous formalism [1,2]. This
tive index of the medium and the cavity size are external effective Hamiltonian exhibits the essential features in the
time-varying parameters. The quantization of the elec- physical processes and makes a Schrodinger-picture
tromagnetic Geld in a cavity with movable perfectly description possible. In Sec. II, we define the quantum
rejecting boundaries was first discussed by Moore [1] two system and derive the effective Hamiltonian. The reso-
decades ago. Within the framework of Moore's ap- nance behavior of the effective Hamiltonian is discussed
proach, Dodonov and co-workers [2] recently have gen- in Sec. III, and Sec. IV is devoted to our conclusions.
eralized the theory so that the effects of a time-varying
refractive index of the medium inside the cavity are also II. FIELD QUANTIZATION AND THE
included. The major interest in this kind of system is the EFFECTIVE HAMILTONIAN
possibility of the creation of photons [3], which can be in-
terpreted as a nonadiabatic distortion of the electromag- We consider a one-dimensional cavity formed by two
netic vacuum state. It has been predicted that a moving perfectly reflecting mirrors (see Fig. 1). One of the mir-
mirror with nonuniform motion [4,5] or a sudden change rors is fixed at the position x =0 and the other is allowed
of the refractive index of the medium [6,7] can produce to move in a prescribed trajectory x =q(t). The space
real photons from the vacuum state. In the latter case, between the mirrors contains a linear, lossless, and non-
Yablonvitch [6] suggested that a rapidly growing plasma dispersive dielectric medium. The relative dielectric per-
produced by short optical pulses could provide a large mittivity e(x, t) of the medium is an externally prescribed
rate of change of the index of refraction with observable real function of both space and time. For simplicity, we
effects. From the point of view of quantum optics, the let the magnetic permeability p be a constant throughout
statistical properties of the photons are perhaps even the cavity.
more interesting. Since the emission is purely a quantum The Lagrangian density of the system (c =1, p= 1) is
elect, we expect the photon statistics to carry some non- given by

I
classical features. In fact, a nonthermal distribution [8],
as well as squeezing, was found in recent theoretical anal-
yses [8,9].
The quantization of a field in a cavity with time-
varying parameters has so far [1,2] been restricted to the
rI
rr

Ir
Heisenberg picture, in which the field operators are con-
structed directly from the solutions of the classical wave
equation, and the Hamiltonian plays no role in the
theory. It is therefore not possible to know the explicit
form of the state of the field. Early work [10] on formu-
lating the dynamics from the Hamiltonian applies to a
system with moving mirrors only, and a generalization of
r
x=0 e(x, t) x=q(t)
the method in Ref. [10] for a time-dependent dielectric
medium seems difticult. Physically, both the moving mir- FIG. 1. The one-dimensional cavity with a moving mirror
ror and the time-dependent dielectric medium produce and the dielectric medium have time-varying permittivity.

1050-2947/94/49(1)/433(5)/$06. 00 49 433 1994 The American Physical Society

434 C. K. LAW 49

2 role of the t in Pk(x; t) is a parameter. Such a set of func-

L (x, r) =1
= —e(x, t) BA
(2. 1) tions is orthonormal,
2 Qt

where A {x,t) is the vector potential. We have con- f0

dx e(x, t)P„(x;t)P (x;t}=6„ (2.9)

sidered only the case of a linearly polarized field because and is complete. Hence A(x, r) and ir(x, t) can be ex-
the two polarizations are decoupled. The wave equation panded in terms of Pk (x; t) at any instant r:
obtained from (2. 1}has the form
A(x, r)=g Q„(t}p„(x;t) (2. 10)
k
E(x, t) (2.2)
Bt Bt and
and we impose the boundary conditions [1] ir(x, r) =e(x, t)g Pk(t)P&(x; t} (2.11)
k
A (O, r)= A(q(r), r)=0 (2.3)
where Qz (t) and Pk(t) are defined by
which guarantees that the electric fields are always zero
in the rest frames of the mirrors' surfaces.
The field quantization is achieved by constructing a
Qk(t)= f 0
dx e(x, t)A(x, t)gk(x;t), (2. 12)

field operator A (x, t) associated with the vector potential

=
Pi. (t) f dx m(x;t)p„(x;r) . (2. 13)
0
such that it is a solution of Eqs. (2.2) and (2.3), and
The expansion (2. 11) should not include the moving
satisfies the following commutation relations:
boundary point x =q(t), because n(x, t) is . actually
[A(x, t), A(x', t)]=[8(x,t), 8(x', t)]=0, (2.4) nonzero there (except for the case of stationary mirrors).
The discrepancy at that point however does not a6ect the
[A (x, t), m(x', t)]=i5{x —x'), (2. 5) time dependence of Pk (t) defined in (2. 13).
where x and x' are defined in the space between the mir- Now we let Qk(t) and P, (t) obey the commutation re-
rors, excluding the boundaries. The operator rr(x, t) is lations
the conjugate momentum obtained from the Lagrangian P(t)]=0,
density:
[Q, (r), Q, (r)]=[ P( )r,
(2. 14)
a A" (x, t) [Qk(t), Pi(t)] =i 5
~(x, t) = e(x, t) (2.6)
which guarantee the commutation rules (2.4) and (2.5)
It is known that the solutions for the field operator among the field operators. Therefore we can interpret
from (2. 14) that Qk(t) and P (t) are the natural general-
A (x, t) can be determined consistently through (2.2) and
(2.3) regardless of the Hamiltonian. In fact, we do not at- ized position and momentum operators, respectively, for
the field.
tempt to formulate a quantum theory which is based on
the full Hamiltonian of the system. This is because the By taking the time derivative of (2. 12) and (2.13), and
using the relations (2.6), (2.7), and (2.9), we obtain the
description of the interaction between the field and the
induced surface current on the moving mirror can be equations of motion for Qk(t) and Pk(t)
quite complicated. The vanishing boundary conditions dQk
on A (x, t) are therefore used to account for these subtle
dt
=Pk+g Gk J(t)QJ(t), (2. 15)
interactions in a simplified way. Once the boundary con-
ditions are assumed, it is not necessary and even not pos- JPk
sible to find a consistent fundamental Hamiltonian [1]. = —cok(t)Qk —Q G, k(t)P&(t), (2. 16)
dt
However, an effective Hamiltonian does exist. As we
shall see below, the Hamiltonian dynamics can be where the time-dependent coefficient Gk J. (r ) is defined by
recovered in a special time-dependent mode basis.
Let us first define the "instantaneous" set of mode — q(() BP (x;r)
functions [Pk(x;t)}, Gkk, j (t)= f dx E(x, r)fk(x;r)
ai
(2. 17)

8 pk{x;t} Considering Eqs. (2. 15) and (2. 16) as the Heisenberg
+ e(x, t)cu„(t)P„(x;t) =0, (2.7)
Bx equations of motion, 0 =i [H,s., 0],
we can construct the
effective Hamiltonian up to an arbitrary constant,
subjected to the boundary conditions
p&{0;r)=p„(q(r};r ) =0 (2.8) H, s = —,' g I Pa+uk{ t)Qk+ Gk k(t){Pk Qk +Ql P~ )}

with the eigenvalues cok{t). The physical meaning of the + g G„,(r)PkQJ, (2. 18)
mode functions Pk(x;t) is quite obvious. If we "freeze" j, k
the system at the instant t0, then the dielectric permittivi- jWk

ty and the length of the cavity are stopped at e{x,t0) and which generates the equations of inotion (2. 15) and (2. 16).
q{t0), respectively. The set of mode basis functions for In order to describe the system in Fock space, we now in-
this system is therefore I P„(
tx„)}. In other words, the troduce the "instantaneous" creation and annihilation
49 EFFECTIUE HAMILTONIAN FOR THE RADIATION IN A. . . 435

operators: is the two-photon processes characterized by the terms

aka. and ak, so that photon pairs can be created from
ak = 1
[tok(t)Qk /Pk ], (2. 19) the vacuum state. This two-photon character of the field
2cok(t) is related to the squeezing phenomena that were recently
1 found [8,9]. It must be noted that the eff'ects of these two
[tok(t)Qk+iPk ] . (2.20) processes are determined by the time dependence of the
ZCOk(t)
(k(t) and j/, k, (t) onadiabatic behavior happens only if
N.

Once again we take the time derivative of (2. 19) and gk(t) and pk J. (t) change appreciably in the typical time
(2.20) to obtain the equations of motion. Because of the scales of the system. For the scattering process the time
explicit time dependence of cok (t) in the definitions, the scale is given by the inverse of the frequency difference
effective Harniltonian that governs the motion of ak and between the two scattering modes, whereas the time scale
ak has some extra terms. The final form of the effective for the two-photon process is the inverse of the frequency
Hamiltonian is given by sum of the two modes concerned. These two time scales
can be different from each other by many orders of mag-
H ff g ~k
k
( t)akak +/ g gk (t)(ak' —ak )
k
nitude. As an example, take a one-meter-long cavity. If
we consider only the optical field, it requires that gk(t)
+ —y pk J(t)(akaJ +akaJ aja/,
—aj—
a/, ),
and p, k j(t) have frequency components in the optical
domain in order to create photons. On the other hand,
j, k
jAk the scattering between neighboring modes requires a
(2.21) much slower motion of gk(t) and /2k/(t), which is in the
microwave frequency region.
where we have used the abbreviation

Gk k(t) 1 dcok(t) III. RESONANCES IN THE WEAKLY

+ (2.22) PERTURBED REGIME

and When the cavity field is weakly perturbed periodically

1/2 by some appropriate choices of the motion in the cavity's
COk(t) parameters, resonances [9] would occur and cavity modes
Pk j(t)= Gk j(t) . (2.23) can be selectively excited. To facilitate our discussions,
mj. (t)
let us concentrate on the moving-mirror system in the ab-
It is worth noting that if the mirrors are fixed in positions sence of the dielectric medium, i.e., e(x, t) = 1. The mode
and the dielectric permittivity is spatially homogeneous functions are given by
ff(x, t) = e(t), then all coefficients Gk 1 are zero [but 1/2
km. x
Pk(x;t) =
gk(t)%0]. In this special case, diff'erent modes are decou- 2
sin (3. 1)
pled from each other and the effective Hamiltonian de- q(t)
scribes a system of decoupled oscillators with time-
and the eigenvalues are tok(t)=km/q(t). Hence, the
dependent frequencies [11].
effective Harniltonian reads
Having obtained the general effective Hamiltonian
(2.21), the time evolution of the system is deterinined by q(t)
the Schrodinger equation + ff 2~k(t)akak+i y 4 t
4q
(ak ak)

2J2
k
'
B„~q) =i (2.24)
1)j+k &I k
1/2
q(t)
i2 J q(t)
where is the state vector represented in the Fock
~q/) jAk
space. We emphasize that the Fock space here is dynam- —ajak —aj ak ),
ical in nature because it is based on the set of tirne- X (akaj +aka/ (3.2)
dependent mode basis functions [pk(x;t)]. As we where q(t) =dq (t)/dt Expression (3..2) is not the same as
change the system's parameters in time, the vacuum state the one obtained in a difFerent approach [10]. The
changes accordingly. Therefore, the bosons associated discrepancy is due to the different definition of the field
with the "instantaneous" creation and annihilation operators.
operators (2. 19) and (2.20) may not be regarded as real A convenient choice of the mirror's trajectory q(t) is
photons unless we can specify a rneasurernent process to to make q(t)/q (t) purely sinusoidal:
detect them. Nevertheless, these bosons become real
photons once e{x,t) and q {t) stop changing with time, gp COSQt
since the ordinary Fock space is recovered when the q(t)=I. exp I. (3.3)
mode functions become stationary [12].
There are basically two kinds of nonadiabatic processes The q(t) itself is actually very close to a simple harmonic
in the system. The first kind is the zero-photon process motion because we wi11 let qp «L,
in order to keep the
characterized by the ak~a terms in the Hamiltonian. system in the weak perturbation regime, where the cavity
Photons are scattered from one mode to another without frequencies are well defined by cok = k~/I. .
changing the total number of photons. The second kind To locate the resonance conditions, we notice that each
436 C. K. LAW 49

Heisenberg operator ak carries a zeroth-order time proach could be useful. If the initial state of the system is
dependence exp[i(2kvr/L)t]. This fast oscillatory phase the vacuum, the evolution of the system in the short-time
factor has to be canceled by q(t)/q(t) for resonance to domain, to first order in t, is given by
occur. Therefore if 0=2m+/L, where m is an integer,
the k =m mode will be resonantly excited. A similar ar- ~%(t)}=~vac} —
qp7T
i ta, ~vac} for 0=2vr/L (3.8)
gument also applies for the operators aka ', when we have 4L
resonance for Q=(m+n)m. /L. In this case the k =m and
and j
=n modes are excited simultaneously. For the
scattering case aka~, the k = m and = n modes are reso- j }= ~vac) i —
qp7T
for Q=3n/L
2v'2L' ta, a2~vac)
~%'(t)
nant when Q=(m n—
)n/L.
It is not difficult to see that among all the terms in ex-
pression (3.2), there are only a few of them that are on (3.9)
resonance, when a specific choice of is given. The 0 where the case of the first resonance is not considered. It
effective Hamiltonian can therefore be greatly simplified is clear that the dynamics of the system is dominated by
by keeping only those resonant terms. This is the so- the parametric oscillator for small t, and scattering pro-
called rotating-wave approximation. In the following, we cesses will appear only as higher-order effects. When the
write down the approximate form of the resonant time increases, the scattering terms act as an oscillator
effective Hamiltonian for the first three resonances of the bath and cause damping in the motion of the parametric
system: oscillator.
We have performed exact numerical calculations on
(i) 0=m/L. the time evolution of the photon number in a few lowest
qo modes of the cavity. Figure 2(a} corresponds to the reso-
H ff X f1(k)(ak+lak+akak+1) (3.4) nance with Q =2m/L. We . see that the fundamental
4L
mode k =1 is resonantly excited. The k =2,, 4 modes are
(ii) A, =2+/L: basically empty because the value of 0 permits resonant

H" —qpm (a +a ) 10l s s ~ I » I ~ ) s ~ I I I s I I I I I ~ ~

4L xgxxxx g g g g g g
I
P
egg g g g
1 k=1 gxx xxgg
ggg
qp~ 10 i x" x"
g x
g g x

4L X f2(k)(ak+2ak+akak+2} (3.5) x
g
g

~~~~
0 ~~~
~~ ~~~~~
I

000 '
g
I, ~~~~
3
A0 10-si ~0~
~~~
F
~ ~ ~
~ ~
E
(iii) 0, =3m. /L: 1 ~~
~0
4 ~
4
~ 4
~ 4

4 4

O 1 0-7
4

(" qp1r 0 4 (a) r

H = —
~ 2(ala2+ala2}
)
ff C4
2&2L' 10', 4

+, qp7T

4L
+f3(k)(ak+3ak+akak+3) (3.6) 10-"
-
i
0 ~ ooooq
aaaa ~ ~ a

1000
4
eooooo

l I
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000000I
OOOOOO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I I I I

2000
)
D

I
000000000000000000000

I I

3000
000000'i

I
t'

I I I

4000
l I I I I

5000
r

where the function f, (k)(a= 1, 2, 3) is given by

1/2 1/2
k (k +lx) k+a 10'
2k +o. k ~ 0~ ~~ ~~
0~~0~~ ~ e
~0~~~0~~4~
4' ~
k=I, 2 aa ~ 00 F
00
~~0 44
0 ~ ~ 4

(3.7) 10 0~
44 J ~ 4 ~ ~ ooDOO
4 4 4
0000 I
4 ~ 0 0000
4 4 4 ~
0 000 000
I) o
44
4 0 OO
In deriving the effective Hamiltonians (3.4), (3.g}, and E 4
4
0 0
&
D
00
00

4
(3.6), we have made rotating-wave approximations and 4
J
0
0
0
(b)
4
neglected the correction in the cavity frequencies due to 10
O
the modulation of q(t). There is no time dependence in
the expressions because they are represented in rotating 10' 4
0 ~~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
~ 0'r
li ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~
~~~~~~~ ~~~
frames.
' ' '

The first resonant Hamiltonian (3.4) describes the 10-1 1

scattering interactions between neighboring modes, and 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
the total photon number is conserved. In the second
case, a degenerate parametric oscillator associated with FIG. 2. The time evolution of the photon number in the
the lowest mode k = I appears in (3.5), and the total pho- lowest five modes of the cavity. Initially, the field is in the vacu-
ton number is not conserved. The third resonance is um state. The time axis ~ = t /T is dimensionless, where
similar, but with a nondegenerate parametric oscillator T=2L/c is the round-trip time. The parameters are L =0.3 m,
associated with the modes k =1 and k =2. In all cases, qo=10 L. Each of the points in the figure was taken for the
the complicated form of the scattering terms forbids us times at every 100T, when the system is instantaneously at rest.
from finding the analytic solutions, and a perturbative ap- {a) 0=2~/L, (b) 0=3+/L.
49 EFFECTIVE HAMILTONIAN FOR THE RADIATION IN A. . . 437

scattering from the fundamental mode to odd k modes a parametric oscillator. We have demonstrated numeri-
only. In Fig. 2(b), the frequency is 0=3m. /L, so both cally the growth of the photon number in the regime of
k =1 and k =2 modes are excited at the same time. The the first two parametric resonances of the moving mirror
characteristic of two-photon emission is quite apparent system. Finally, we hope that the effective Hamiltonian
because the two curves for these two modes almost coin- can provide a convenient way for further study of the
cide. There is a relatively small amount of photons in the atom-field interaction. The response of atoms to the field
modes k =4 and k =5, which is created by the scattering in this type of cavity should be quite unusual and may
from the modes k =1 and k =2, respectively. In both provide us with indirect ways to probe nonadiabatic
figures, we have found good agreement between the nu- changes of a vacuum field. It is because the environment
merical solutions and the perturbative results on the pho- that the atoms experience is modified with time. Virtual
ton number in the resonant modes, as described by the transitions and the self-dressing processes of atoms would
wave functions in (3.8) and (3.9). become important, a fact that may lead to emission of
photons even if the atoms are in the ground state [13].
IV. CONCLUSION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In conclusion, we have derived the effective Hamiltoni-
an of the field in a one-dimensional cavity with a moving The author thanks Professor J. H. Eberly, H. Huang,
mirror and a dielectric medium with time-varying index and D. G. Lappas for helpful discussions. This work is
of refraction. The effective Hamiltonian is found in a partially supported by the National Science Foundation
quadratic form. We have discussed the time scales that under Grant No. PHY91-11562 and by the Agnes M. 8c
are associated with the nonadiabatic processes. In the George Messersmith Fund at the University of Roches-
case of resonance, the resonant mode can be regarded as ter.

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[10] M. Razavy and
[2] V. V. Dodonov, A. B. Klimov, and D. E. Nikonov, Phys. [11]The quantum mechanics of a single oscillator with a gen-
Rev. A 47, 4422 (1993); V. V. Dodonov, A. B. Klimov, and eral time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian has been stud-
V. I. Man'ko, J. Sov. Laser Res. 12, 439 (1991). ied extensively in the literature. For the methods of
[3] See, for example, M. Castagnino and R. Ferraro, Ann. finding the time-evolution operator, see, for example, J.
Phys. (N. Y.) 154, 1 (1984) and references therein. M. Cervero and J. D. Lejarreta, Quantum Opt. 2, 333
[4] B. S. Dewitt, Phys. Rep. 19, 295 (1975). (1990); also on the application of non-classical-state gen-
[5] S. A. Fulling and P. C. W. Davies, Proc. R. Soc. London eration, see G. S. Agarwal and S. A. Kumar, Phys. Rev.
Ser. A 348, 393 (1976); P. C. Davies and S. A. Fulling, Lett. 67, 3665 (1991); C. F. Lo, Phys. Rev. A 43, 404
ibid. 356, 237 (1977). (1991) ~

[6] E. Yablonovitch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 1742 (1989). [12] For a detailed discussion of field quantization in inhomo-
[7] V. V. Hizhnyakov, Quantum Opt. 4, 277 (1992). geneous dielectric media with constant cavity's size and
[8] S. Sarkar, Quantum Opt. 4, 345 (1992). time-independent dielectric constant, see R. J. Glauber
[9] V. V. Dodonov, A. B. Klimov, and D. E. Nikonov, Phys. and M. Lewenstein, Phys. Rev. A 43, 467 (1991).
Lett. A 149, 225 (1990); M. T. Jaekel and S. Reynaud, J. [13] R. Passante, T. Petrosky, and I. Prigogine, Opt. Commun.
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