On the dynamical structure of the Dicke maser model

For suitable states of the Dicke maser model we study the time evolution of the mean photon number n(t) in the limit N → ∞. Here N is the number of maser active atoms. Our starting point is a well-tuned cavity with only one mode of the radiation field excited. Introducing new dynamical variables we are able to exploit fully the conservation laws so as to get a simple but completely rigorous solution. We find that n(t) is periodic, and given by a Weierstrassian elliptic function, provided a net polarization is present in the cavity. No approximation is involved.