Topics in Current Physics

1. Introduction: What are Resonance Fluorescence, Optical Bistability, and Superfluorescence..- 1.1 General Remarks.- 1.2 Resonance Fluorescence.- 1.3 Superfluorescence.- 1.4 Optical Bistability.- References.- 2. Intensity-Dependent Resonance Light Scattering.- 2.1 General Method of Solution.- 2.1.1 Approximations and Limiting Assumptions.- 2.1.2 Optical Bloch Equations.- 2.1.3 The Use of a c-Number Incident Field.- 2.1.4 Spectrum of Scattered Field.- 2.2 The Closed Two-Level System.- 2.2.1 Radiative Relaxation.- 2.2.2 Collisional Relaxation.- 2.2.3 General Solution for the Closed Two-Level System.- 2.3 The Open Two-Level System.- 2.3.1 Spectrum for Transitions Involving Other Levels.- 2.3.2 Effect of Atomic Decay on the Laser-Coupled Spectrum.- References.- 3. Resonance Fluorescence of Atoms in Strong Monochromatic Laser Fields.- With 28 Figures.- 3.1 Overview.- 3.2 Theoretical Treatments of Interaction of Atoms with Intense Monochromatic Fields.- 3.2.1 Simple AC Stark Effect: Spectrum.- 3.2.2 Simple AC Stark Effect: Total Scattered Intensity, Intensity Correlations, and Photon Antibunching.- 3.2.3 Variants of the AC Stark Effect.- 3.3 Experiments on the Interaction of Atoms with Intense Monochromatic Fields.- 3.3.1 Emission Spectrum.- 3.3.2 Total Emitted Intensity: Level Crossing Experiments.- a) Level Crossing Experiment.- b) Theoretical Considerations.- c) Measurements.- 3.3.3 Intensity Correlation: Photon Antibunching.- References.- 4. Theory of Optical Bistability.- 4.1 Background.- 4.2 Theory of Absorptive OB in a Ring Cavity.- 4.2.1 Semiclassical Theory.- a) Exact Treatment of the Stationary Situation.- b) Mean-Field Approach: Steady-State Analysis.- c) Mean-Field Approach: Transient Behavior.- d) Complete Linear Stability Analysis.- e) Self-Pulsing in Optical Bistability.- 4.2.2 Quantum-Statistical Theory.- a) Spectrum of Transmitted Light.- b) Photon Statistics of the Transmitted Light.- 4.3 Theory of Mixed Absorptive-Dispersive OB in a Ring Cavity.- References.- 5. Optical Bistability.- 5.1 Background.- 5.1.1 Early Work on Absorptive Optical Bistability.- 5.1.2 First Observation of Optical Bistability; Discovery of Dispersive Optical Bistability.- 5.1.3 Hybrid Optical Bistability.- 5.2 Models of Optical Bistability in a Fabry-Perot Cavity.- 5.2.1 Boundary Conditions.- 5.2.2 Nonlinear Medium.- 5.2.3 Conditions for Dispersive Bistability.- 5.3 Experimental Findings.- 5.3.1 Na Vapor.- 5.3.2 Ruby.- 5.3.3 Kerr Materials.- 5.3.4 Thermal Optical Bistability.- 5.3.5 Semiconductors.- 5.4 Future Prospects.- 5.4.1 Optical Processing and Computing.- 5.4.2 Theoretical Limits on Minimum Size.- 5.4.3 Approaching Theoretical Limits.- 5.4.4 Comparison with Other Technologies.- 5.4.5 Quantum Aspects.- 5.4.6 Preferred Wavelengths.- References.- 6. Superfluorescence Experiments.- 6.1 Background.- 6.2 Experimental Parameters.- 6.2.1 Conditions for Superfluorescence.- 6.2.2 Experimental Techniques.- 6.2.3 Survey of Experiments.- 6.2.4 Details of the Cesium Experiment.- 6.3 Single Pulses.- 6.3.1 Observations of Single Pulses in Cesium.- 6.3.2 Maxwell-Bloch Equations and Ringing.- 6.3.3 Comparison with Computer Simulations.- 6.3.4 Multiple-Pulse SF and Transverse Effects.- 6.4 The Initiation of Superfluorescence.- 6.4.1 Theory.- 6.4.2 Direct Measurement of ?0.- 6.4.3 Quantum Fluctuations.- 6.5 Sample Dimensions.- 6.5.1 Sample Length.- 6.5.2 Fresnel Number and Spatial Coherence.- 6.6 Level Degeneracies.- 6.6.1 Quantum Beats from Coupled Transitions.- 6.6.2 Beats from Independent Transitions.- 6.6.3 Polarization Effects.- 6.7 Summary.- References.