Temperature dependence of atomic decay rate induced by the BEC of photons

Bose–Einstein condensation of a weakly interacting photon gas in a two-dimensional optical microcavity is investigated. The effective mass and chemical potential for a photon confined inside this optical microcavity are non-vanishing. A reservoir theory has been used to study the decay rate of a two-level atom in the microcavity, in which photons are in the Bose–Einstein condensate state. It is found that below the critical temperature TcTc, the atomic decay rate is a monotonically increasing function of the absolute temperature T.

► We model the BEC of a weakly interacting photon gas. ► In the model the chemical potential of the photon gas is non-vanishing. ► The influence of the BEC of photons on the decay of an atom is investigated. ► At low temperatures the atomic decay rate is temperature dependent.