Dissipation and non-thermal states in cryogenic cavities
Abstract
We study the properties of photons in a cryogenic cavity, made by cryo-cooled mirrors surrounded by a room temperature environment. We model such a system as a multimode cavity coupled to two thermal reservoirs at different temperatures. Using a Lindblad master equation approach, we derive the photon distribution and the statistical properties of the cavity modes, finding an overall non-thermal state described by a mode-dependent effective temperature. We also calculate the dissipation rates arising from the interaction of the cavity field with the external environment and the mirrors, relating such rates to measurable macroscopic quantities. These results provide a simple theory to calculate the dissipative properties and the effective temperature of a cavity coupled to different thermal reservoirs, offering potential pathways for engineering dissipations and photon statistics in cavity settings.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Mechanical and Optical Resonators
Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Quantum
- Publisher
- Verein zur Forderung des Open Access Publizierens in den Quantenwissenschaften
- Volume
- 10
- Pages
- 1983–1983
- Publication date
- 22 January 2026
- Language
- EN