Superradiance in spin-$J$ particles: Effects of multiple levels

Abstract

We study the superradiance dynamics in a dense system of atoms each of which can be generally a spin-$j$ particle with $j$ an arbitrary half-integer. We generalize Dicke's superradiance point of view to multiple-level systems, and compare the results based on a novel approach we have developed in {[}Yelin \textit{et al.}, arXiv:quant-ph/0509184{]}. Using this formalism we derive an effective two-body description that shows cooperative and collective effects for spin-$j$ particles, taking into account the coherence of transitions between different atomic levels. We find that the superradiance, which is well-known as a many-body phenomenon, can also be modified by multiple level effects. We also discuss the feasibility and propose that our approach can be applied to polar molecules, for their vibrational states have multi-level structure which is partially harmonic.