Collapse and revival of the state vector in the Jaynes-Cummings model: An example of state preparation by a quantum apparatus

The evolution of the atomic state in the resonant Jaynes-Cummings model (a two-level atom interacting with a single mode of the quantized radiation field) with the field initially in a coherent state is considered. It is shown that the atom is to a good approximation in a pure state in the middle of what has been traditionally called the ``collapse region.'' This pure state exhibits no Rabi oscillations and is reached independently of the initial state of the atom. For most initial states a total or partial ``collapse of the wave function'' takes place early during the interaction, at the conventional collapse time, following which the state vector is recreated, over a longer time scale.