Interference Effects in the Resonance Fluorescence of "Crossed" Excited Atomic States

Abstract

The recent spectroscopic method developed by Colegrove, Franken, Lewis, and Sands exploits interference effects which occur in the resonance fluorescence of atoms exhibiting pairs of "crossed" excited states. Some of the theoretical features of the technique are discussed in terms of the formalism developed by Breit from which the salient features of the observed lineshapes can be readily deduced. Alternative derivations of the Breit formula are given together with a discussion of the nature and representation of the requisite resonance radiation.