Fano-Agarwal couplings and non-rotating wave approximation in single-photon timed-Dicke subradiance

Abstract

Recently a new class of single-photon timed-Dicke (TD) subradiant states has been introduced with possible applications in single-photon based quantum information storage and on demand ultrafast retrieval [Scully M. O., Phys. Rev. Lett., 115 (2015) 243602]. However, the influence of any kind of virtual processes on the decay of these new kind of subradiant states has been left as an open question. In the present paper, we focus on this problem in detail. In particular, we investigate how pure Fano-Agarwal couplings and other virtual processes arising from non-rotating wave approximation impact the decay of otherwise sub and superradiant states. In addition to the overall virtual couplings among all TD states, we also focus on the dominant role played by the couplings between specific TD states.