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Optimization of two-photon excitation by indistinguishable photons in a three-level atom

Masood Valipour1,2, Gniewomir Sarbicki1,2, Karolina Słowik1,2, and Anita Dąbrowska3

  • 1Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziądzka 5/7, 87–100 Toruń, Poland
  • 2Institute of Advanced Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Wileńska 4, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
  • 3Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 57, 80–308 Gdańsk, Poland

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Phys. Rev. A 114, 013717 – Published 21 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/2cs5-fdc6

Abstract

We investigate the excitation of a three-level ladder-type atom by a unidirectional field with a pair of indistinguishable photons. Starting from an analytical expression for the two-photon absorption probability, we determine the two-photon state that maximizes the population of the upper atomic state at a chosen time and show that in the limit of an infinitely long pulse, perfect excitation is possible. The optimal state is identified as the time-reversed counterpart of the two-photon state emitted in spontaneous cascade decay. We then compare this ideal excitation strategy with experimentally accessible families of states, including symmetrized Gaussian product states, temporally correlated Gaussian states, and coherent pulses. We analyze how the optimal excitation conditions depend on the ratio of atomic decay rates and on the separation of the atomic transition frequencies. For indistinguishable photons, quantum interference may shift the maxima of the marginal spectral distribution away from the atomic resonances and qualitatively modify the optimal excitation strategy. Our results clarify the role of indistinguishability and correlations in two-photon absorption and provide guidance for designing realistic excitation schemes in quantum-optical light-matter interfaces.

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Phys. Rev. A 114, 013717– Published 21 July, 2026
  • Received 28 April 2026
  • Accepted 23 June 2026
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