Coherence effects in scattering order expansion of light by atomic clouds

Area of Science:

• Atomic physics
• Quantum optics
• Condensed matter theory

Background:

• Cooperative scattering phenomena in cold atomic ensembles are complex.
• Understanding light-matter interactions at the quantum level is crucial for developing new optical technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To interpret cooperative scattering in cold atoms as a multiple-scattering process.
• To derive analytical expressions for coherent intensity in specific scattering approximations.
• To quantify the contributions of different scattering directions.

Main Methods:

• Formulating a microscopic theory for N-atom response to a probe light beam.
• Representing the total scattered field as an infinite series of multiple-scattering events.
• Applying the method to obtain double-scattering approximations for Gaussian density profiles.

Main Results:

• Developed a multiple-scattering framework for cooperative atomic scattering.
• Derived analytical expressions for coherent intensity under double-scattering approximation.
• Quantified contributions of coherent backward and forward scattering for Gaussian profiles.

Conclusions:

• Cooperative scattering in cold atoms can be effectively described by multiple-scattering theory.
• The derived analytical expressions provide quantitative insights into coherent scattering phenomena.
• This work offers a foundation for further investigations into light propagation in dense atomic media.