Radiation pressure on single atoms: generalization of an exact analytical approach to multilevel atoms
Abstract
In a recent work, we provided a standardized and exact analytical formalism for computing in the semiclassical regime the radiation force experienced by a two-level atom interacting with any number of plane waves with arbitrary intensities, frequencies, phases, and propagation directions [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 35, 127-132 (2018)]. Here, we extend this treatment to the multilevel atom case, where degeneracy of the atomic levels is considered and polarization of light enters into play. A matrix formalism is developed to this aim.
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