Quantum theory of self-induced transparency solitons: A linearization approach

Abstract

Linearization of the self-induced transparency equations reduces the problem to a single linear integro-differential equation for the perturbation field of a soliton. The adjoint system is introduced to establish orthogonality relations that lead to the relations between the perturbed field and perturbed scattering data. The commutation relations of the perturbation field provide the quantization rules for the perturbed ``scattering data.'' The quantized solitons are described by operators for photon number, phase, momentum, and position. The evolution and detection of these fluctuations are studied. The contribution of the continuum part can be suppressed by suitable detection schemes.