Saturated absorption line shape: Calculation of the transit-time broadening by a perturbation approach

Abstract

We present a third-order perturbation calculation of line shapes in laser spectroscopy based on the density-matrix formalism. The new feature of this theory is the inclusion of the Gaussian spatial structure of the laser beams. We study the linewidth as a function of relaxation and transit times. A shift is found when the wave fronts are not flat. General line-shape formulas are given as well as approximate formulas valid in various domains.