Radiation pressure on a two-level atom: an exact analytical approach

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Author(s)
Podlecki, L
Glover, RD
Martin, J
Bastin, T
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2018
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The mechanical action of light on atoms is currently a tool used ubiquitously in cold atom physics. In the semiclassical regime, where atomic motion is treated classically, the computation of the mean force acting on a two-level atom requires numerical approaches in the most general case. Here we show that this problem can be tackled in a purely analytical way. We provide an analytical yet simple expression of the mean force that holds in the most general case, where the atom is simultaneously exposed to an arbitrary number of lasers with arbitrary intensities, wave vectors, and phases. This yields a novel tool for engineering ...
View more >The mechanical action of light on atoms is currently a tool used ubiquitously in cold atom physics. In the semiclassical regime, where atomic motion is treated classically, the computation of the mean force acting on a two-level atom requires numerical approaches in the most general case. Here we show that this problem can be tackled in a purely analytical way. We provide an analytical yet simple expression of the mean force that holds in the most general case, where the atom is simultaneously exposed to an arbitrary number of lasers with arbitrary intensities, wave vectors, and phases. This yields a novel tool for engineering the mechanical action of light on single atoms.
View less >
View more >The mechanical action of light on atoms is currently a tool used ubiquitously in cold atom physics. In the semiclassical regime, where atomic motion is treated classically, the computation of the mean force acting on a two-level atom requires numerical approaches in the most general case. Here we show that this problem can be tackled in a purely analytical way. We provide an analytical yet simple expression of the mean force that holds in the most general case, where the atom is simultaneously exposed to an arbitrary number of lasers with arbitrary intensities, wave vectors, and phases. This yields a novel tool for engineering the mechanical action of light on single atoms.
View less >
Journal Title
Journal of the Optical Society of America B
Volume
35
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© Optical Society of America, 2018. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modifications of the content of this paper are prohibited.
Subject
Applied Mathematics
Optical Physics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering