An Examination of Atom--Field Interactions

G. Andrew Antonelli
Senior Honors Thesis
Davidson College
Davidson, NC

• Contents
• List of Figures
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• The Lorentz Oscillator Model
• The Two--State Atom and Semiclassical Theory
  • Theory
    • Introduction
    • The Two--State Atom: Basics
    • Schrödinger Derivation of the Semiclassical Equations
    • Assumptions and Approximations
    • The Density Matrix
    • Density Matrix Derivation of the Semiclassical Equations
    • Collisions and Spontaneous Emission
    • The Complete Semiclassical Model
    • The Bloch Vector Picture
  • About BlochApp
    • Introduction
    • Algorithm and Parameters
  • Simulations
    • Rabi Oscillations
    • The Bloch Vector
    • Atomic Parameters
      • Inelastic Collisions
      • Elastic Collisions
      • Collisions Compared
      • Spontaneous Emission
      • Off Resonance
    • Lifetimes and Free Induction Decay
    • The Area Theorem
      • Pulses
      • Other Functions
    • The Rotating Wave Approximation
    • Frequency Scans
• The Quantum Field
  • Theory
    • Introduction
    • The Harmonic Oscillator and the Quantum Field
    • The Master Equation
    • Photon Statistics
    • Analyzing the Field
    • Radiation Sources
      • The Fock State
      • The Thermal State
      • Minimum Uncertainty States
      • The Coherent State
      • The Squeezed Coherent State
  • About FieldApp
    • Introduction
    • Algorithm and Parameters
  • Simulations
    • Photon Statistics Visualized
      • Fock and Thermal States
      • Coherent States
      • Coherent Squeezed State
    • The Reservoir Equilibrium and Absolute Zero
    • The Decay of a Fock State
    • The Decay of Coherent States
    • The Decay of Squeezed States
• The Jaynes--Cummings Model and Beyond
  • Theory
    • Introduction
    • Quantized Atom--Field Coupling
    • The Coupled Density Matrix
  • About JCapp and QEDapp
    • Introduction
    • JCapp Algorithm and Parameters
    • QEDapp Algorithm and Parameters
  • Simulations
    • Spontaneous and Stimulated Emission
    • The Rotating Wave Approximation Revisited
    • The Atom and Complex Fields
    • A Thermal Field
    • A Coherent State
    • A Squeezed State
• Epilogue
• Appendix
• References
• Index
• About this document ...