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

Physical Review A

Saturated fluorescence in a standing-wave laser field

Helen K. Holt

Published Nov 1, 1984• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An atom in a near-resonant standing-wave laser field emits light spontaneously from its upper level which shows a dip at resonance. This calculation gives the intensity emitted as a function of laser tuning and of the saturation parameter. The case of oppositely directed waves of unequal amplitudes is also treated.
DOI
10.1103/physreva.30.2495

Related papers

Two-level atom saturated by a fluctuating resonant laser beam. Calculation of the fluorescence spectrum

Paul Avan, Claude N. Cohen-Tannoudji

The behaviour of a two-level atom saturated by a resonant fluctuating laser beam is studied. A classical description of the light wave is used, corresponding to a laser well above threshold. Two different approximations are introduced for treating the effects of slow and fast fluctuations; slow fluctuations are followed adiabatically by the atom and fast fluctuations appear as a relaxation mechanism for the population difference and for the optical dipole moment obeying the motional-narrowing condition. The perturbation of the spectral distribution of the fluorescence light is determined quantitatively and the great sensitivity of this spectrum to higher order correlation functions of the light wave is exhibited.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics•Feb 1, 1977•113 citations

Resonance fluorescence of an atom in a standing-wave laser field

Emilio Fiordilino, Marvin H. Mittleman

The authors calculate the fluorescent spectrum of an atom driven by a standing-wave laser field which is exactly resonant with the atomic transition when the atom is at rest. The motion of the atom causes Doppler shifts which destroy the exact resonance and produces a spectrum which can have peaks at omega k = omega L +k.V+k L .vn where omega L is the laser frequency, k L .v is the Doppler shift and n is any integer.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics•Aug 14, 1984•6 citations

Atom localization via resonance fluorescence

Sajid Qamar, Shi-Yao Zhu, Muhammad Suhail Zubairy

We propose a simple scheme of atom localization based on resonance fluorescence from a standing-wave field. The Rabi frequency is position dependent and therefore the spontaneously emitted photon carries the information of the atomic center-of-mass motion. This leads to atom localization even during the flight through the standing-wave field.

Physical Review A•May 11, 2000•197 citations

Resonance fluorescence

Marlan O. Scully, Muhammad Suhail Zubairy

The phenomenon of resonance fluorescence provides an interesting manifestation of the quantum theory of light and is a “real world” application of the material of the Chapters 8 and 9. In this process, a two-level atom is typically driven by a resonant continuous-wave laser field and the spectral and quantum statistical properties of the fluorescent light emitted by the atom are measured. Experimentally this can be achieved by scattering a laser off a collimated atomic beam such that the directions of the laser beam, atomic beam, and detector axis are mutually perpendicular as shown in Fig. 10.1. If the driving field is monochromatic, then at low excitation intensity the atom absorbs a photon at the excitation frequency and reemits it at the same frequency as a consequence of conservation of energy. The spectral width of the fluorescent light is therefore very narrow. The situation, however, is considerably more complicated when the excitation intensity increases and the Rabi frequency associated with the driving field becomes comparable to, or larger than, the atomic linewidth. At such intensity levels, the Rabi oscillations show up as a modulation of the quantum dipole moment and sidebands start emerging in the spectrum of the emitted radiation. This so-called dynamic Stark splitting is an interesting feature of the atom–field interaction. In addition to that, the fluorescent light exhibits certain nonclassical properties including photon antibunching and squeezing. In this chapter, we develop a theory of resonance fluorescence to explain these phenomena.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Sep 4, 1997•0 citations

Coherently controlled emission from two atoms dressed via a standing wave laser field

N. A. Enaki, Nelly Ciobanu, Miguel Orszag

The influence of the standing wave amplitude on the resonance fluorescence of a three-level system of radiators is discussed. Great attention is devoted to the peculiarities of dressed states in the standing wave and the exchange integrals between two atoms situated in the anti-nodes or the nodes. The correlation functions of emitted photons at two dressed frequencies were obtained. It is shown that in the case when the distance between two atoms is smaller than the wavelength of the field, the emitted photons are strongly correlated. As was observed, for large values of laser field intensity, the control of spontaneous emission is possible at two frequencies as well as the atom–atom interaction process. The dependence of the fluorescent light spectrum as a function of the position of two atoms dressed in the standing wave is investigated.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Oct 12, 2011•3 citations

Semiclassical Theory of Saturated Absorption in Gases

J.H. Shirley

A three-dimensional theory for the resonant interaction of electromagnetic waves with a gas of two-level atoms is formulated in terms of macroscopic variables. The theory is utilized to find the steady-state attenuation of a plane wave in the presence of another plane wave running in the opposite direction with different amplitude. Contributions are included from the reflection of the oppositely running wave by an induced standing-wave inhomogeneity in the population inversion of the medium. The resulting attenuation and reflection coefficients are expressed as velocity integrals of continued fractions. Correspondence is made with existing gas-laser theories, yielding the formulation of a high-intensity ring-laser theory. Analytic approximations for the coefficients are presented for the Doppler-limit cases of both waves weak, one wave weak, and negligible reflection (rate-equation approximation). More-general cases have been calculated numerically. The attenuation coefficients exhibit a Lamb-dip feature. The relative depth of the dip increases rapidly with power at low saturation levels, slowly at high saturation, and is greater in the attenuation of the weaker wave. The width of the dip is nonlinearly power broadened. The shape of the dip is very nearly Lorentzian, except for one special case at high power in which the line splits. The propagation equations for the two waves are integrated over long absorption paths. A large resulting attenuation increases the relative size of the dip while decreasing the power broadening.

Physical Review A•Jul 1, 1973•48 citations
The behaviour of a two-level atom saturated by a resonant fluctuating laser beam is studied. A classical description of the light wave is used, corresponding to a laser well above threshold. Two different approximations are introduced for treating the effects of slow and fast fluctuations; slow fluctuations are followed adiabatically by the atom and fast fluctuations appear as a relaxation mechanism for the population difference and for the optical dipole moment obeying the motional-narrowing condition. The perturbation of the spectral distribution of the fluorescence light is determined quantitatively and the great sensitivity of this spectrum to higher order correlation functions of the light wave is exhibited.
The phenomenon of resonance fluorescence provides an interesting manifestation of the quantum theory of light and is a “real world” application of the material of the Chapters 8 and 9. In this process, a two-level atom is typically driven by a resonant continuous-wave laser field and the spectral and quantum statistical properties of the fluorescent light emitted by the atom are measured. Experimentally this can be achieved by scattering a laser off a collimated atomic beam such that the directions of the laser beam, atomic beam, and detector axis are mutually perpendicular as shown in Fig. 10.1. If the driving field is monochromatic, then at low excitation intensity the atom absorbs a photon at the excitation frequency and reemits it at the same frequency as a consequence of conservation of energy. The spectral width of the fluorescent light is therefore very narrow. The situation, however, is considerably more complicated when the excitation intensity increases and the Rabi frequency associated with the driving field becomes comparable to, or larger than, the atomic linewidth. At such intensity levels, the Rabi oscillations show up as a modulation of the quantum dipole moment and sidebands start emerging in the spectrum of the emitted radiation. This so-called dynamic Stark splitting is an interesting feature of the atom–field interaction. In addition to that, the fluorescent light exhibits certain nonclassical properties including photon antibunching and squeezing. In this chapter, we develop a theory of resonance fluorescence to explain these phenomena.
The influence of the standing wave amplitude on the resonance fluorescence of a three-level system of radiators is discussed. Great attention is devoted to the peculiarities of dressed states in the standing wave and the exchange integrals between two atoms situated in the anti-nodes or the nodes. The correlation functions of emitted photons at two dressed frequencies were obtained. It is shown that in the case when the distance between two atoms is smaller than the wavelength of the field, the emitted photons are strongly correlated. As was observed, for large values of laser field intensity, the control of spontaneous emission is possible at two frequencies as well as the atom–atom interaction process. The dependence of the fluorescent light spectrum as a function of the position of two atoms dressed in the standing wave is investigated.
A three-dimensional theory for the resonant interaction of electromagnetic waves with a gas of two-level atoms is formulated in terms of macroscopic variables. The theory is utilized to find the steady-state attenuation of a plane wave in the presence of another plane wave running in the opposite direction with different amplitude. Contributions are included from the reflection of the oppositely running wave by an induced standing-wave inhomogeneity in the population inversion of the medium. The resulting attenuation and reflection coefficients are expressed as velocity integrals of continued fractions. Correspondence is made with existing gas-laser theories, yielding the formulation of a high-intensity ring-laser theory. Analytic approximations for the coefficients are presented for the Doppler-limit cases of both waves weak, one wave weak, and negligible reflection (rate-equation approximation). More-general cases have been calculated numerically. The attenuation coefficients exhibit a Lamb-dip feature. The relative depth of the dip increases rapidly with power at low saturation levels, slowly at high saturation, and is greater in the attenuation of the weaker wave. The width of the dip is nonlinearly power broadened. The shape of the dip is very nearly Lorentzian, except for one special case at high power in which the line splits. The propagation equations for the two waves are integrated over long absorption paths. A large resulting attenuation increases the relative size of the dip while decreasing the power broadening.