Open AccessThe Livermore experience: Contributions of J H Eberly to laser excitation theory
Author(s) -
Bruce W. Shore,
Michael Johnson,
K. C. Kulander,
J. I. Davis
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.8.000028
Subject(s) - excitation , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , physics , laser , national laboratory , optics , atomic physics , quantum mechanics , engineering physics
This article summarizes the developing understanding of coherent atomic excitation, as gained through a collaboration of J. H. Eberly with the Laser Isotope Separation Program of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, particularly aspects of coherence, population trapping, multilevel multiphoton excitation sequences, analytic solutions to multistate excitation chains, the quasicontinuum, pulse propagation, and noise. In addition to the discovery of several curious and unexpected properties of coherent excitation, mentioned here, the collaboration provided an excellent example of unexpected benefits from investment into basic research.