Photon localization versus population trapping in a coupled-cavity array

Understand

We consider a coupled-cavity array (CCA), where one cavity interacts with a two-level atom under the rotating-wave approximation.

• We investigate the excitation transport dynamics across the array, which arises in the atom's emission process into the CCA vacuum.
• Due to the known formation of atom-photon bound states, partial field localization and atomic population trapping in general take place.
• We study the functional dependance on the coupling strength of these two phenomena and show that the threshold values beyond which they become significant are different.