Multi-normal-mode splitting of a cavity in the presence of atoms -- towards the superstrong coupling regime

Abstract

Multi-normal-mode splitting peaks are experimentally observed in a system with Doppler-broadened two-level atoms inside a relatively long optical cavity. In this system, the atoms-cavity interaction can reach the ``superstrong coupling" condition with atoms-cavity coupling strength $g\sqrt{N}$ to be near or larger than the cavity free-spectral range $\Delta_{FSR}$. In such case, normal-mode splitting can occur in many cavity longitudinal modes to generate the multi-normal-mode splitting peaks, which can be well explained by the linear dispersion enhancement due to the largely increased atomic density in the cavity. Many new interesting phenomena might come out of this superstrong atoms-cavity coupling regime.