The su(1,1)-like intensity-dependent Rabi model: A perturbative analysis of weak and strong-coupling regimes

We present a perturbative analysis of a Rabi model where the coupling between the quantized single-mode electromagnetic field and the two-level atom depends on the field intensity. Upon modeling the matter–radiation coupling through the Holstein–Primakoff realization of algebra su(1,1), we evaluate first- and second-order eigenenergies and eigenstates both in the weak-coupling regime (atom transition frequency smaller than the coupling strength) and in the strong-coupling regime. In the first case, among various effects, we observe a quadratic dependence on the photon number of energy eigenvalues and the possible formation of level doublets. In the strong-coupling case, the perturbative analysis becomes considerably complex due to the su(1,1)-valued form of the unperturbed Hamiltonian. The critical condition for the transition to an almost continuous spectrum is found in terms of the model parameters.