Modified Langevin noise formalism for multiple quantum emitters in dispersive electromagnetic environments out of equilibrium
Phys. Rev. A 113, 023720 – Published 24 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ps9g-1b4d
Abstract
The control of interactions among quantum emitters through nanophotonic structures offers significant opportunities for quantum technologies. However, a rigorous theoretical description of the interaction of multiple quantum emitters with complex, dispersive dielectric objects remains challenging. Here, we introduce an approach based on the modified Langevin noise formalism that unveils the roles of both the noise polarization currents of the dielectrics and the vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field scattered by the dielectrics. This work extends [G. Miano et al., Nanophotonics 14, 4019 (2025); Phys. Rev. A 112, 033712 (2025)] to the general case of an arbitrary number of emitters. The proposed approach allows us to describe the dynamics of the quantum emitters for arbitrary initial quantum states of the electromagnetic environment, consisting of two independent bosonic reservoirs, a medium-assisted reservoir, and a scattering-assisted reservoir, each characterized by its own spectral density matrix. Specifically, we examine situations where both reservoirs are initially in thermal quantum states but have different temperatures. Understanding how these reservoirs shape the dynamics of the emitters is crucial for understanding light–matter interactions in complex electromagnetic environments and for improving intrinsic emitter properties within structured environments.
