Advances in atomic physics : an overview

✍ Scribed by Claude Cohen-Tannoudji; David Guéry-Odelin

• Publisher: World Scientific
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 794
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the spectacular advances seen in atomic physics during the last 50 years. The authors explain how such progress was possible by highlighting connections between developments that occurred at different times. They discuss the new perspectives and the new research fields that look promising. The emphasis is placed, not on detailed calculations, but rather on physical ideas. Combining both theoretical and experimental considerations, the book will be of interest to a wide range of students, teachers and researchers in quantum and atomic physics.

✦ Table of Contents

Content: General introduction --
2. General background. 2.1. Introduction. 2.2. The two interacting systems : atom and field. 2.3. Basic conservation laws. 2.4. Two-level atom interacting with a coherent monochromatic field. The Rabi oscillation. 2.5. Two-level atom interacting with a broadband field. Absorption and emission rates. 2.6. Two-level atom interacting with a coherent monochromatic field in the presence of damping --
3. Optical methods. 3.1. Introduction. 3.2. Double resonance. 3.3. Optical pumping [Kastler (1950)]. 3.4. First experiments on optical pumping. 3.5. How can optical pumping polarize atomic nuclei? 3.6. Brief survey of the main applications of optical methods. 3.7. Concluding remarks --
4. Linear superpositions of internal atomic states. 4.1. Introduction. 4.2. First experimental evidence of the importance of atomic coherences. 4.3. Zeeman coherences in excited states. 4.4. Zeeman coherences in atomic ground states. 4.5. Transfer of coherences. 4.6. Dark resonances. Coherent population trapping. 4.7. Conclusion --
5. Resonance fluorescence. 5.1. Introduction. 5.2. Low intensity limit. Perturbative approach. 5.3. Optical Bloch equations. 5.4. The dressed atom approach. 5.5. Photon correlations. The quantum jump approach. 5.6. Fluorescence triplet at high laser intensities. 5.7. Conclusion --
6. Advances in high resolution spectroscopy. 6.1. Introduction. 6.2. Saturated absorption. 6.3. Two-photon Doppler-free spectroscopy. 6.4. Recoil suppressed by confinement : the Lamb-Dicke effect. 6.5. The shelving method. 6.6. Quantum logic spectroscopy. 6.7. Frequency measurement with frequency combs. 6.8. Conclusion --
7. Perturbations due to a quasi resonant optical excitation. 7.1. Introduction. 7.2. Light shift, light broadening and Rabi oscillation. 7.3. Perturbation of the field. Dispersion and absorption. 7.4. Experimental observation of light shifts. 7.5. Using light shifts for manipulating atoms. 7.6. Using light shifts for manipulating fields. 7.7. Conclusion --
8. Perturbations due to a high frequency excitation. 8.1. Introduction. 8.2. Spin 1/2 coupled to a high frequency RF field. 8.3. Weakly bound electron coupled to a high frequency field. 8.4. New insights into radiative corrections. 8.5. Conclusion --
9. Multiphoton processes between discrete states. 9.1. Introduction. 9.2. Radiofrequency multiphoton processes. 9.3. Radiative shift and radiative broadening of multiphoton resonances. 9.4. Optical multiphoton processes between discrete states. 9.5. Conclusion --
10. Photoionization of atoms in intense laser fields. 10.1. Introduction. 10.2. Multiphoton ionization. 10.3. Above threshold ionization (ATI). 10.4. Harmonic generation. 10.5. Tunnel ionization and recollision. 10.6. Conclusion --
11. Radiative forces exerted on a two-level atom at rest. 11.1. Introduction. 11.2. Calculation of the mean radiative force. 11.3. Dissipative force. 11.4. Reactive force. 11.5. Conclusion.
Abstract:

Presents a comprehensive overview of the advances seen in atomic physics. This book explains how such progress was possible by highlighting connections between developments that occurred at different times. It is suitable for students, teachers and researchers in quantum and atomic physics. Read more...