%0 Journal Article %1 dubin10 %A Dubin, François %A Russo, Carlos %A Barros, Helena G. %A Stute, Andreas %A Becher, Christoph %A Schmidt, Piet O. %A Blatt, Rainer %D 2010 %J Nature Physics %K QCT %N 5 %P 350-353 %T Quantum to classical transition in a single-ion laser %V 6 %X The onset of lasing in a ‘classical’ laser is marked by a threshold that can be characterized by a sharp increase in photon flux as a function of external pumping strength. The same is not necessarily true for a single trapped atom interacting with a single optical mode. ‘Quantum’ lasers have shown thresholdless lasing in the regime of strong coupling between an atom and a radiation field, but the existence of a threshold has been predicted. Here, we demonstrate and characterize a single-atom laser with and without threshold behaviour by changing the strength of atom/light-field coupling. We observe the establishment of a laser threshold through the accumulation of photons in the optical mode even for a mean photon number substantially lower than for the classical case. Our observations mark an important step towards a fundamental understanding of laser operation in the few-atom limit including systems based on semiconductor quantum dots or molecules.

@article{dubin10, abstract = {The onset of lasing in a ‘classical’ laser is marked by a threshold that can be characterized by a sharp increase in photon flux as a function of external pumping strength. The same is not necessarily true for a single trapped atom interacting with a single optical mode. ‘Quantum’ lasers have shown thresholdless lasing in the regime of strong coupling between an atom and a radiation field, but the existence of a threshold has been predicted. Here, we demonstrate and characterize a single-atom laser with and without threshold behaviour by changing the strength of atom/light-field coupling. We observe the establishment of a laser threshold through the accumulation of photons in the optical mode even for a mean photon number substantially lower than for the classical case. Our observations mark an important step towards a fundamental understanding of laser operation in the few-atom limit including systems based on semiconductor quantum dots or molecules.}, added-at = {2010-06-22T18:07:49.000+0200}, author = {Dubin, François and Russo, Carlos and Barros, Helena G. and Stute, Andreas and Becher, Christoph and Schmidt, Piet O. and Blatt, Rainer}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/20983b5a184adf5e185024000b41d724f/mcclung}, interhash = {05a60d8daeb05beabdc6e1312faef3de}, intrahash = {0983b5a184adf5e185024000b41d724f}, journal = {Nature Physics}, keywords = {QCT}, month = {March}, number = 5, pages = {350-353}, timestamp = {2010-06-22T18:07:49.000+0200}, title = {Quantum to classical transition in a single-ion laser}, volume = 6, year = 2010 }