N-level systems and applications to spectroscopy

K. Lendi

Bryan J. Dalton, Z. Ficek, S. Swain

Squeezed light is of interest as an example of a non-classical state of the electromagnetic field and because of its applications both in technology and in fundamental quantum physics. This review concentrates on one aspect of squeezed light, namely its application in atomic spectroscopy. The general properties, detection and application of squeezed light are first reviewed. The basic features of the main theoretical methods (master equations, quantum Langevin equations, coupled systems) used to treat squeezed light spectroscopy are then outlined. The physics of squeezed light interactions with atomic systems is dealt with first for the simpler case of two-level atoms and then for the more complex situation of multi-level atoms and multi-atom systems. Finally the specific applications of squeezed light spectroscopy are reviewed.

Karl Blum

Sushanta Dattagupta

P. R. Berman

The manner in which laser spectroscopic techniques can be use to probe collisional processes in atomic vapors is reviewed, A discussion of the saturation spectroscopy of three-level Systems, coherent transient spectroscopy, and a beam-laser spectroscopy System is presented. It is shown that such experiments can provide useful information on both the total and differential cross sections for atom-atom scattering.

Günther Ludwig