Physical Review A
Influence of atomic coherence induced by laser-assisted near-resonant collisions on the far-wing absorption profile
Józef Szudy, W. E. Baylis
Abstract
An analysis of near-resonant collisions between dissimilar atoms in the presence of a radiation field reveals their effect on the far wings of the absorption profile. Extending a model due to Cavalieri, Arimondo, and Matera, we take into account the collisional shifts of atomic levels, as well as the collisional coupling between atoms and the coupling with the radiation field. A general formula for the absorption profile is derived and expressed in terms of the universal line-shape function of the unified Franck-Condon treatment of pressure broadening. We show that in some cases collision-induced coherence can give rise to a strongly depressed red wing that exhibits transparency for some values of the laser detuning. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.