Quantum phases of a three-level matter-radiation interaction model using $SU(3)$ coherent states with different cooperation numbers

Abstract

We use coherent states as trial states for a variational approach to study a system of a finite number of three-level atoms interacting in a dipolar approximation with a one-mode electromagnetic field. The atoms are treated as semi-distinguishable using different cooperation numbers and representations of SU(3). We focus our analysis on the quantum phases of the system as well as the behavior of the most relevant observables near the phase transitions. The results are computed for all three possible configurations ($\Xi$, $\Lambda$ and $V$) of the three-level atoms.