Diffuse and selective reflection of resonance radiation

B. A. Veklenko, Yu. B. Sherkunov

The problem of the quantum-statistical properties of resonance radiation selectively reflected from unexcited media in the case where the photons are mutually correlated in the incident radiation flux is posed and solved. Allowance for mutual photon correlation precludes, in principle, solving the problem by perturbation methods. A quantum analog of the optical theorem of absorption, which causes an infinite subsequence of Feynman diagrams to vanish, is pointed out. The frequency-angle distribution of the photons in the reflected flux is predicted. The Fresnel formulas are reconstructed for the averaged reflection characteristics. The limits for their applicability in describing the reflection of mutually correlated photons are given. A suppression effect is predicted for the reflection of radiation from a laser source.

Michel Rousseau, J.P. MATHIEU

M. B. Gornyi, Boris G. Matisov

A. M. Akulshin, V. L. Velichanskiǐ, A. I. Zherdev +5 more

Resonance lines of rubidium and cesium and injection lasers were used in a study of selective reflection from an interface between a transparent dielectric and an absorbing gas as a function of the angle of incidence of radiation and of its polarization, and of the concentration of atoms in a cell. Selective reflection resonances were observed against zero background when radiation was incident on the cell at the Brewster angle. The conditions for observation of selective frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) were determined analytically and experimentally. The maximum reflection coefficient obtained was 95 ± 2%, which was 10 times greater than the nonresonant reflection coefficient. The spectral width of the region where FTIR was observed ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 cm − 1, depending on the concentration of atoms and the angle of incidence. The FTIR eifect was used to construct a selective component which made it possible to ensure narrow-band cw operation of an injection laser with an external resonator. Other potential applications of the FTIR effect in quantum electronics were also considered.

Mark W. Zemansky

RBT Black

Diffusely reflected and transmitted spectral line profiles are calculated for uniform noncoherently scattering media onto which radiation of frequency near that of a resonance line of the medium is incident. Profiles are calculated for incident light that is either collimated or unifQrmly diffused and that is either monochromatic, or of uniform frequency distribution, or contains an absorption line centred on the resonance line under discussion. Spectral lines generated by uniformly excited media are also calculated.