This book discusses the interaction of light with atoms, concentrating on the semiclassical descriptions of the processes. It begins by discussing the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation and its interaction with a classical charged dipole oscillator. Then, in a pivotal chapter, the interaction with a free charge is described (the Compton effect); it is shown that, in order to give agreement with observation, certain quantum rules must be introduced. The book then proceeds to discuss the interaction from this point of view-light always being described classically, atoms described quantum-mechanically, with quantum rules for the interaction. Subsequent chapters deal with stimulated emission and absorption, spontaneous emission and decay, the general problem of light stimulating and being scattered from the two-state atom, the photoelectric effect, and photoelectric counting statistics. Finally the author gives a personal view on the nature of light and his own way of looking at certain paradoxes. The writing of this book was originally conceived as a collaboration between the present author and a colleague of former years, Alan V. Durrant. Indeed, some preliminary exchange of ideas took place in the mid-1970s. But the problems of joint-authorship from antipodean positions proved too difficult and the project was abandoned. I would like to record my indebted ness to him for the stimulation of this early association. I also acknowledge the encouragement of my colleagues at the Univer sity of Otago. Special reference must be made to D. M.

This book draws together the principal ideas that form the basis of atomic, molecular, and optical science and engineering. It covers the basics of atoms, diatomic molecules, atoms and molecules in static and electromagnetic fields and nonlinear optics. Exercises and bibliographies supplement each chapter, while several appendices present such important background information as physics and math definitions, atomic and molecular data, and tensor algebra. Accessible to advanced undergraduates, graduate students, or researchers who have been trained in one of the conventional curricula of physics, chemistry, or engineering but who need to acquire familiarity with adjacent areas in order to pursue their research goals.

A thorough introduction to the interaction of atoms with optical and magnetic fields; for graduate students and researchers.

Focusing on atom-light interactions and containing numerous exercises, this in-depth textbook prepares students for research in a fast-growing field.

This book is addressed to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students involved in research in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. It will also be useful to researchers practising in this field. It gives an intuitive, yet sufficiently detailed and rigorous introduction to light-atom interactions with a particular emphasis on the symmetry aspects of the interaction, especially those associated with the angular momentum of atoms and light. The book will enable readers to carry out practical calculations on their own, and is richly illustrated with examples drawn from current research topics, such as resonant nonlinear magneto-opticals. The book comes with a software package for a variety of atomic-physics calculations and further interactive examples that is freely downloadable from the book's web page, as well as additional materials (such as power-point presentations) available to instructors who adopt the text for their courses.

Atom-Photon Interactions: Basic Processes and Applications allows the reader to master various aspects of the physics of the interaction between light and matter. It is devoted to the study of the interactions between photons and atoms in atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, and laser physics. The elementary processes in which photons are emitted, absorbed, scattered, or exchanged between atoms are treated in detail and described using diagrammatic representation. The book presents different theoretical approaches, including: Perturbative methods The resolvent method Use of the master equation The Langevin equation The optical Bloch equations The dressed-atom approach Each method is presented in a self-contained manner so that it may be studied independently. Many applications of these approaches to simple and important physical phenomena are given to illustrate the potential and limitations of each method.

Dieser Band fasst systematisch alle Begriffe und Konzepte zusammen, die das Fundament der Atom- und Molekülforschung, Optik und Technik bilden: Atome, zweiatomige Moleküle, Atome und Moleküle in statischen und elektromagnetischen Feldern, nichtlineare Optik. Physikalische und mathematische Definitionen, ausführliche Tabellen und ein Überblick über die Tensoralgebra wurden der besseren Lesbarkeit des Haupttextes halber in umfangreiche Anhänge ausgelagert. Jedes Kapitel schließt mit Übungsaufgaben und Angaben zur weiterführenden Literatur ab.

This book provides a comprehensive view of the contemporary methods for quantum-light engineering. In particular, it addresses different technological branches and therefore allows the reader to quickly identify the best technology - application match. Non-classical light is a versatile tool, proven to be an intrinsic part of various quantum technologies. Its historical significance has made it the subject of many text books written both from theoretical and experimental point of view. This book takes another perspective by giving an insight to modern technologies used to generate and manipulate quantum light.

This book offers a didactic introduction to light–matter interactions at both the classical and semi-classical levels. Pursuing an approach that describes the essential physics behind the functionality of any optical element, it acquaints students with the broad areas of optics and photonics. Its rigorous, bottom-up approach to the subject, using model systems ranging from individual atoms and simple molecules to crystalline and amorphous solids, gradually builds up the reader’s familiarity and confidence with the subject matter. Throughout the book, the detailed mathematical treatment and examples of practical applications are accompanied by problems with worked-out solutions. In short, the book provides the most essential information for any graduate or advanced undergraduate student wishing to begin their course of study in the field of photonics, or to brush up on important concepts prior to an examination.