Part II: Light-Matter Interaction
When photons interact with atoms, remarkably rich physics emerges — from coherent Rabi oscillations and optical Bloch dynamics to radiation pressure, optical trapping, and laser cooling that brings atoms to microkelvin temperatures.
Part Overview
The interaction of light with atoms is described by the semiclassical and fully quantum theories. Two-level atom models yield Rabi oscillations and the optical Bloch equations, while the mechanical effects of light lead to laser cooling and trapping — technologies that earned the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Key Concepts
- • Two-level atom model and the rotating wave approximation
- • Rabi oscillations, T&sub1;/T&sub2; relaxation, and the Bloch sphere
- • Scattering force (radiation pressure) and the dipole force
- • Dressed atom picture and optical molasses
- • Doppler cooling limit and sub-Doppler techniques
- • Magneto-optical traps and evaporative cooling
3 chapters | From quantum coherence to ultracold temperatures
Chapters
Chapter 1: Optical Bloch Equations
Two-level atom interacting with a classical field: Rabi oscillations, T&sub1;/T&sub2; relaxation, density matrix formalism, Bloch sphere representation, and Ramsey interferometry.
Chapter 2: Light Forces
Scattering force and radiation pressure, dipole force and optical trapping, dressed atom picture, optical molasses, and gradient forces in standing waves.
Chapter 3: Laser Cooling
Doppler cooling limit, sub-Doppler (Sisyphus) cooling, magneto-optical traps, and evaporative cooling toward quantum degeneracy.