The Rabi problem with elliptic polarization

Abstract

We consider the solution of the equation of motion of a classical/quantum spin subject to a monochromatical, elliptically polarized external field. The classical Rabi problem can be reduced to third order differential equations with polynomial coefficients and hence solved in terms of power series in close analogy to the confluent Heun equation occurring for linear polarization. Application of Floquet theory yields the physically interesting quasienergy as a function of the parameters of the problem and expressions for the Bloch-Siegert shift of resonance frequencies. Various limit cases cases have been thoroughly investigated.