Non-Hermitian wave packet approximation of Bloch optical equations
Résumé
We introduce a new non-Hermitian approximation of Bloch equations. This approximation provides a complete description of the excitation, relaxation and decoherence dynamics of single as well as ensembles of coupled quantum emitters (atoms or molecules) in weak laser fields, taking into account collective effects and dephasing. This is demonstrated by computing the numerical wave packet solution of a time-dependent non-Hermitian Maxwell-Schrödinger equation describing the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with a quantum (atomic or molecular) nano-structure and by comparing the calculated transmission, reflection, and absorption spectra with those obtained from the numerical solution of the Maxwell-Liouville-von Neumann equation. We provide the key ingredients for easy-to-use implementation of the proposed scheme using time-dependent decay rates and identify the limits and error scaling of this approximation.