Bistability and stochastic resonance in an open quantum system Original Research Article

We give a detailed analysis of bistability and the associated time scales in a fundamental, driven, open quantum system, the micromaser. Under certain conditions, the quantized, nonclassical photon field in the maser cavity exhibits quantum jumps between two metastable states. We show how to calculate the corresponding transition rates, examine the influence of an injected atomic coherence, and discuss different measurement schemes to detect the final state of the exiting atoms. With these results, noise-induced effects such as stochastic resonance or suppression of higher harmonics can be understood.