Effect of atomic beam alignment on photon correlation measurements in cavity QED

Quantum trajectory simulations of a cavity QED system comprising an atomic beam traversing a standing-wave cavity are carried out. The delayed photon coincident rate for forwards scattering is computed and compared with the measurements of Rempe et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 1727 (1991)] and Foster et al. [Phys. Rev. A 61, 053821 (2000)]. It is shown that a moderate atomic beam misalignment can account for the degradation of the predicted correlation. Fits to the experimental data are made in the weak-field limit with a single adjustable parameter–the atomic beam tilt from perpendicular to the cavity axis. Departures of the measurement conditions from the weak-field limit are discussed.