Quantum gate for Q switching in monolithic photonic-band-gap cavities containing two-level atoms

Photonic-band-gap cavities are prime solid-state systems to investigate light-matter interactions in the strong coupling regime. However, as the cavity is defined by the geometry of the periodic dielectric pattern, cavity control in a monolithic structure can be problematic. Thus, either the state coherence is limited by the read-out channel, or in a high-Q cavity, it is nearly decoupled from the external world, making measurement of the state extremely challenging. We present here a method for ameliorating these difficulties by using a coupled cavity arrangement, where one cavity acts as a switch for the other cavity, tuned by control of the atomic transition.