Recently we predicted a random blinking, i.e., macroscopic quantum jumps, in the fluorescence of a laser-driven atom-cavity system [Metz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 040503 (2006)]. Here we analyze the dynamics underlying this effect in detail and show its robustness against parameter fluctuations. Whenever the fluorescence of the system stops, a macroscopic dark period occurs and the atoms are shelved in a maximally entangled ground state. The described setup can therefore be used for the controlled generation of entanglement. Finite photon detector efficiencies do not affect the success rate of the state preparation, which is triggered upon the observation of a macroscopic fluorescence signal. High fidelities are achieved even in the vicinity of the bad cavity limit due to the inherent role of dissipation in the jump process.

• Received 9 February 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.76.022331