REVIVALS AND SUPERSTRUCTURES IN THE JAYNES-CUMMINGS MODEL WITH A SMALL NUMBER OF PHOTONS

If the quantized field has initially a small mean number of photons (n BAR is similar to 2), quantum inversion displays distinct revivals, pr ovided the detuning between the field and the atom is large as compare d to the coupling constant [(g/DELTA)2 << 1]. However, the amplitudes of these revivals are very small. For long times, individual revivals partially overlap to form fractional revivals, and for even longer tim es superrevivals (revivals of the revivals) appear. These phenomena re sult from the beating of modes of the quantized field that are not nea rest neighbors. The envelope of the electric field associated with the oscillating atomic dipole exhibits similar superstructures, but with a period twice that for the atomic inversion.