The Spin-Photon Echo Revisited

S. Hartman

A. I. Siraziev, N. K. Solovarov

Frank C. Spano, W. S. Warren

We show that a fundamental assumption used in analyzing photon echo decays from interacting molecules—the assumption that the ‘‘pure’’ dephasing rate can be obtained by subtracting one half of the fluorescence decay rate (2T1)−1 from the photon echo decay rate—is generally inconsistent with a fully quantum mechanical treatment. The density matrix evolution for a system of noninteracting dimers is calculated using the retarded electromagnetic coupling between two oscillating dipoles. We are able to properly include the effects of spontaneous emission and Dicke superradiance on the echo decay.

Veniamin P. Chebotayev, B. Dubetsky

Norman A. Kurnit, Sven R. Hartmann

D. C. Haueisen, Thomas D. Bonifield

The classical interpretation of the spin echo is reviewed, followed by a simple quantum-mechanical derivation of the general echo phenomenon for a two-state system. The photon echo is then examined, and graphs of hydrogenic wave functions for eigenstates and transitional states are shown as examples. As many as possible of the classical notions associated with the spin echo are applied to the case of photon echoes.