Darkness of two entangled fluorescing atoms inside a quantized standing wave cavity

We study the center-of-mass motion of two two-level atoms coupled to a sing le quantized standing-wave cavity mode. Using an effective one-dimensional model in the one-excitation case, we obtain a general expression of the dar k states, the entangled two atom states which are almost immune against pho ton escape from the cavity. We analyze the effects of the atomic dipole-dip ole interaction and of fluorescence emission from the single atoms on the t ime evolution of the atom-cavity system. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.