Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics

On the incorporation of non-Lorentzian (phase-diffusion) laser bandshapes into the theory of multiphonon processes

S. Swain

Published Oct 14, 1984• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The object of this paper is to devise a relatively simple ways of describing the effect of laser field fluctuations on the dynamics of atomic systems when the fluctuations are due to phase fluctuations only. Previous methods have involved the solution of awkward partial differential equations or the evaluation of continued fractions whose terms are matrices. The authors use an exact rate equation approach, where the rates are expanded in a series whose terms are continued fractions (with scalar coefficients). It is found that the lowest-order approximation to these rates gives accurate results except near the Gaussian limit, but here an exact procedure (Greenland, Rzazewski) may be used. The method is used to describe the excitation of a two-level atom and to discuss the optical double resonance experiment. Its accuracy is assessed.

DOI
10.1088/0022-3700/17/19/011

Related papers

The theory of non-Lorentzian laser bandshapes in atomic processes

R I Jackson, S. Swain

According to laser theory the lineshape of a laser broadened by Ornstein-Uhlenbeck phase fluctuations is non-Lorentzian. The equations describing the interaction of such a laser with atomic systems are cast into a form which has the same structure as the density-matrix equations in the absence of fluctuations but with modified detunings, damping parameters and interaction matrix elements. By these means the authors derive substitution rules for taking into account the effect of these non-Lorentzian lineshapes which generalize those already known for Lorentzian lineshapes arising from Wiener-Levy fluctuations. The theory is applied to two-photon ionisation and analytic expressions are obtained for the rate of this process. For the extended two-level model the authors' results agree with those of Yeh and Eberly (1981) in the appropriate limit, but they also consider a more general model which leads to enhanced single-photon ionisation rates.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics•Dec 14, 1982•17 citations

Interaction of cross-correlated laser fields with atomic systems

S. Swain

Cross correlation refers to the situation in which the fluctuations in the fields of two or more lasers are correlated in some way. Recently, Thomas et al. [ Opt. Lett.6, 298 ( 1981); Phys. Rev. Lett.48, 867 ( 1982)] proposed the generation of cross correlation between two laser fields interacting with a three-level system as a means of reducing noise and went on to exploit this property in the observation of narrow Ramsay fringes. Dalton and Knight [ J. Phy. B15, 3997 ( 1982)] discussed the theoretical aspects of cross correlation and showed that it produced interesting effects in population trapping for example. We have demonstrated that it has significant effects on the optical double-resonance (ODR) spectra [ J. Phys. B17, L389 ( 1984)]. On the other hand, the effects of non-Lorentzian laser line shapes have been shown by various workers to have significant effects on a wide range of phenomena, such as multiphoton ionization, resonance fluorescence, and ODR. In this paper we present a theory of the interactions of lasers whose fluctuations are governed by the phase-diffusion process with atomic systems that includes the effects of cross correlation and non-Lorentzian line shapes. We derive the basic equations (which in general have to be solved numerically) and obtain analytic results in the case in which the line shape is approximately Lorentzian near line center but falls off faster than a Lorentzian in the wings. We believe that this analytic model shows all the essential features of the interplay between cross correlation and non-Lorentzian line shapes. The theory is applied to the ODR experiment. In particular, we find that the asymmetry of the spectra is strongly affected by these two features, and so is the ODR spectral line shape when the saturating laser intensity is close to the threshold for producing two peaks.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Oct 1, 1985•13 citations

Multiphoton Excitation in a Multi-lorentzian Light Field

Kikuo Ujihara, L. Allen

The effect of amplitude and phase fluctuations on N-photon excitation from N independent lasers is investigated. Each laser is assumed to have a multi-lorentzian line shape. The Fokker-Planck equation is solved to yield atomic density matrix equations which incorporate the fluctuations. Most of the results discussed are for the lowest-order approximation. No enhancement in the Rabi frequency or transition probability appears, but the Stark shift is found to be enhanced by a factor which is independent of the degree of non-linearity of the process. A general expression for the transition probability in the rate equation regime is presented and its characteristic features discussed. The difference between N-photon excitation from N independent lasers and from a single laser is examined.

Optica Acta International Journal of Optics•Jan 1, 1983•1 citation

Quantum statistical theory of optical-resonance phenomena in fluctuating laser fields

G. S. Agarwal

A quantum statistical theory of resonant optical phenomena is developed for the case when the fluctuations of the laser, used for exciting transitions, are important. The general equations describing the dynamics of a relaxing two-level atom (TLA) are solved exactly for different types of mean values and the two-time amplitude and intensity correlations. The phase-diffusion model is adopted for laser fluctuations. The exact results are used to analyze the effect of laser fluctuations on a number of optical effects-optical free-induction decay, adiabatic following, the spectrum of the scattered light from a relaxing TLA, the energy-absorption spectrum from a weak field, Hanle resonances, etc. In each case, the laser fluctuations are found to affect in an important way the characteristics of the above optical-resonance phenomena. For example, the spectrum of scattered radiation from a TLA has the usual three-peak structure for fields at resonance and with strengths $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ above the threshold and for $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$; however, now the peak heights (widths) are in the ratio $3x$ ($\frac{2}{3x}$), $x=\frac{[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}+\frac{({T}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}1}+{T}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}1})}{3}]}{[2{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}+{T}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}1}]}$, where ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ is the correlation time for laser phase fluctuations. For ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}\ensuremath{\gg}\ensuremath{\alpha}$, one gets a single-peak spectrum. The laser field is treated as a second-quantized field with excitation in either a coherent state or a Fock state. The results, obtained by straightforward perturbation theory, but valid for arbitrary values of the relaxation parameters, detuning, and the laser correlation time, are also presented.

Physical Review A•Oct 1, 1978•211 citations

Theory of resonance fluorescence in a fluctuating laser field

W. Vogel, D.‐G. Welsch, K. Wódkiewicz

A method of calculation of multiple-time correlation functions of the resonance fluorescence light from a two-level atom driven by a realistic laser field with phase and amplitude fluctuations is developed. Both kinds of fluctuations are assumed to be Gaussian. The phase fluctuations are treated in the phase-diffusion model. The averaging over the amplitude fluctuations can be performed in a closed way when the relative mean-square amplitude fluctuation is small compared with the ratio of the amplitude correlation decay rate to the characteristic atomic relaxation rate. There is no restriction to Markovian amplitude fluctuations. Arbitrary values for the mean Rabi frequency are allowed. Results are presented for the intensity, the intensity correlation function, and the spectrum of the fluorescent light. It is shown that even in the case when the relative strength of the amplitude fluctuations is small, significant effects can occur due to the finite correlation length of the fluctuations. The results for fast amplitude correlation decay correspond to the situation without amplitude fluctuations. When the correlation time of the amplitude fluctuations becomes comparable with the atomic relaxation times, the Rabi oscillations of the intensity and the intensity correlation function are nearly washed out, and non-Lorentzian line shapes for the side peaks in the spectrum are observed. It is found that the ratio of the heights of the central peak to the side peak increases with increasing correlation time.

Physical Review A•Sep 1, 1983•20 citations

Resonance fluorescence of a two-level atom driven by a fluctuating laser field: an application of a multiple time scale method

S. Chaturvedi, Crispin W. Gardiner

The authors review the various models of fluctuating laser fields which have been used in the past for the treatment of resonance fluorescence of a driven two-level atom. A new treatment of this problem in the case of a partially coherent laser field is given. This method extends that of Zoller (1977, 1978) to a large ratio of atomic decay constant to driving field frequency. The method is a kind of multiple time scale method, applied to a stochastic differential equation, and is of interest in its own right. It gives a systematic expansion in powers of the ratio of the atomic decay constant to driving field frequency, and can in principle be computed to arbitrary accuracy. Computations are presented to assess the effect of the high corrections determined.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics•Apr 14, 1981•16 citations
The object of this paper is to devise a relatively simple ways of describing the effect of laser field fluctuations on the dynamics of atomic systems when the fluctuations are due to phase fluctuations only. Previous methods have involved the solution of awkward partial differential equations or the evaluation of continued fractions whose terms are matrices. The authors use an exact rate equation approach, where the rates are expanded in a series whose terms are continued fractions (with scalar coefficients). It is found that the lowest-order approximation to these rates gives accurate results except near the Gaussian limit, but here an exact procedure (Greenland, Rzazewski) may be used. The method is used to describe the excitation of a two-level atom and to discuss the optical double resonance experiment. Its accuracy is assessed.
According to laser theory the lineshape of a laser broadened by Ornstein-Uhlenbeck phase fluctuations is non-Lorentzian. The equations describing the interaction of such a laser with atomic systems are cast into a form which has the same structure as the density-matrix equations in the absence of fluctuations but with modified detunings, damping parameters and interaction matrix elements. By these means the authors derive substitution rules for taking into account the effect of these non-Lorentzian lineshapes which generalize those already known for Lorentzian lineshapes arising from Wiener-Levy fluctuations. The theory is applied to two-photon ionisation and analytic expressions are obtained for the rate of this process. For the extended two-level model the authors' results agree with those of Yeh and Eberly (1981) in the appropriate limit, but they also consider a more general model which leads to enhanced single-photon ionisation rates.
Cross correlation refers to the situation in which the fluctuations in the fields of two or more lasers are correlated in some way. Recently, Thomas et al. [ Opt. Lett.6, 298 ( 1981); Phys. Rev. Lett.48, 867 ( 1982)] proposed the generation of cross correlation between two laser fields interacting with a three-level system as a means of reducing noise and went on to exploit this property in the observation of narrow Ramsay fringes. Dalton and Knight [ J. Phy. B15, 3997 ( 1982)] discussed the theoretical aspects of cross correlation and showed that it produced interesting effects in population trapping for example. We have demonstrated that it has significant effects on the optical double-resonance (ODR) spectra [ J. Phys. B17, L389 ( 1984)]. On the other hand, the effects of non-Lorentzian laser line shapes have been shown by various workers to have significant effects on a wide range of phenomena, such as multiphoton ionization, resonance fluorescence, and ODR. In this paper we present a theory of the interactions of lasers whose fluctuations are governed by the phase-diffusion process with atomic systems that includes the effects of cross correlation and non-Lorentzian line shapes. We derive the basic equations (which in general have to be solved numerically) and obtain analytic results in the case in which the line shape is approximately Lorentzian near line center but falls off faster than a Lorentzian in the wings. We believe that this analytic model shows all the essential features of the interplay between cross correlation and non-Lorentzian line shapes. The theory is applied to the ODR experiment. In particular, we find that the asymmetry of the spectra is strongly affected by these two features, and so is the ODR spectral line shape when the saturating laser intensity is close to the threshold for producing two peaks.
The effect of amplitude and phase fluctuations on N-photon excitation from N independent lasers is investigated. Each laser is assumed to have a multi-lorentzian line shape. The Fokker-Planck equation is solved to yield atomic density matrix equations which incorporate the fluctuations. Most of the results discussed are for the lowest-order approximation. No enhancement in the Rabi frequency or transition probability appears, but the Stark shift is found to be enhanced by a factor which is independent of the degree of non-linearity of the process. A general expression for the transition probability in the rate equation regime is presented and its characteristic features discussed. The difference between N-photon excitation from N independent lasers and from a single laser is examined.
A quantum statistical theory of resonant optical phenomena is developed for the case when the fluctuations of the laser, used for exciting transitions, are important. The general equations describing the dynamics of a relaxing two-level atom (TLA) are solved exactly for different types of mean values and the two-time amplitude and intensity correlations. The phase-diffusion model is adopted for laser fluctuations. The exact results are used to analyze the effect of laser fluctuations on a number of optical effects-optical free-induction decay, adiabatic following, the spectrum of the scattered light from a relaxing TLA, the energy-absorption spectrum from a weak field, Hanle resonances, etc. In each case, the laser fluctuations are found to affect in an important way the characteristics of the above optical-resonance phenomena. For example, the spectrum of scattered radiation from a TLA has the usual three-peak structure for fields at resonance and with strengths $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ above the threshold and for $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$; however, now the peak heights (widths) are in the ratio 3x3x3x (23x\frac{2}{3x}3x2​), $x=\frac{[{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}+\frac{({T}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}1}+{T}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}1})}{3}]}{[2{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}+{T}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}1}]}$, where ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ is the correlation time for laser phase fluctuations. For ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}\ensuremath{\gg}\ensuremath{\alpha}$, one gets a single-peak spectrum. The laser field is treated as a second-quantized field with excitation in either a coherent state or a Fock state. The results, obtained by straightforward perturbation theory, but valid for arbitrary values of the relaxation parameters, detuning, and the laser correlation time, are also presented.
A method of calculation of multiple-time correlation functions of the resonance fluorescence light from a two-level atom driven by a realistic laser field with phase and amplitude fluctuations is developed. Both kinds of fluctuations are assumed to be Gaussian. The phase fluctuations are treated in the phase-diffusion model. The averaging over the amplitude fluctuations can be performed in a closed way when the relative mean-square amplitude fluctuation is small compared with the ratio of the amplitude correlation decay rate to the characteristic atomic relaxation rate. There is no restriction to Markovian amplitude fluctuations. Arbitrary values for the mean Rabi frequency are allowed. Results are presented for the intensity, the intensity correlation function, and the spectrum of the fluorescent light. It is shown that even in the case when the relative strength of the amplitude fluctuations is small, significant effects can occur due to the finite correlation length of the fluctuations. The results for fast amplitude correlation decay correspond to the situation without amplitude fluctuations. When the correlation time of the amplitude fluctuations becomes comparable with the atomic relaxation times, the Rabi oscillations of the intensity and the intensity correlation function are nearly washed out, and non-Lorentzian line shapes for the side peaks in the spectrum are observed. It is found that the ratio of the heights of the central peak to the side peak increases with increasing correlation time.
The authors review the various models of fluctuating laser fields which have been used in the past for the treatment of resonance fluorescence of a driven two-level atom. A new treatment of this problem in the case of a partially coherent laser field is given. This method extends that of Zoller (1977, 1978) to a large ratio of atomic decay constant to driving field frequency. The method is a kind of multiple time scale method, applied to a stochastic differential equation, and is of interest in its own right. It gives a systematic expansion in powers of the ratio of the atomic decay constant to driving field frequency, and can in principle be computed to arbitrary accuracy. Computations are presented to assess the effect of the high corrections determined.