Super/subradiant second harmonic generation
A scheme for active second harmonics generation is suggested. The system comprises N three-level atoms in ladder configuration, situated into a resonant cavity. The system generates the field whose frequency is twice the frequency of the pumping laser, and the field phase is locked to the phase of the pumping field. It is found that the system can lase in either superradiant or subradiant regime, depending on the number of atoms N. When N passes some critical value the transition from the super to subradiance occurs in a phase-transition-like manner. Stability study of the steady state supports this conclusion. For experimental realization of the super/subradiant second harmonics generation we propose semiconductor quantum well structures, superconducting quantum circuits, and evanescently coupled waveguides in which equally spaced levels relevant to this study exist.