The Early Days of Quantum Optics in France

Abstract

We review a few early studies on atom-photon interactions which took place in France after World War II and before the seventies. Several examples are discussed, including double resonance and optical pumping, radiofrequency multiphoton processes, quantum interference effects in radiative processes, master equation description of atom-photon interactions, optical resonators and laser media, etc. We try to point out the continuity which exists between these early studies and more recent investigations in new research fields, such as laser cooling and trapping. Some general conclusions about science policy will be finally drawn from such a historical review. RésuméNous présentons quelques-unes des études initiales relatives aux interactions atome-photons qui ont été réalisées en France après la Seconde Guerre mondiale et avant les années 1970. Nous donnons plusieurs exemples, tels que la double résonance et le pompage optique, les processus multiphotoniques dans le domaine des radiofréquences, les interférences quantiques dans les processus radiatifs, la description en termes d'une équation maîtresse des interactions atome-photon, des résonateurs optiques, des milieux laser, etc. Nous essayons de souligner la continuité qui existe entre ces travaux précoces et les recherches ultérieures menées dans des domaines nouveaux, tels que le refroidissement et le piégeage des atomes par laser. Enfin, quelques considérations générales sur la politique de la recherche scientifique se dégagent de cette revue historique.

Interatomic Coulombic decay in two coupled quantum wells

“…We calculated this hamiltonian's eigenvalues by demanding the continuity of the function and flux at the discontinuity points of the potential. The bound states wave functions were required to be square-integrable functions, and by using the transfer matrix method we calculated also the scattering state wave functions of this hamiltonian [36,37]. To ensure that the effective one dimensional potential is accurate enough, we compared the bound state energies and wave functions with a calculation done using the k · p method [28]- [32].…”

Symmetries and General Principles in the Multiband Effective Mass Theory: A Transfer Matrix Study

“…where the usual notation for the complex-conjugation operatorĈ is used, and K is a model-dependent matrix 27,50 .…”

Puzzling aspects of Young interference and spontaneous intrinsic decoherence

“…We consider a particle beam moving along theẑ axis with velocity V (see figure 1). Using the one-dimensional timedependent Schrödinger equation and assuming that at time t = 0, when particles pass through the slits, the state is a superposition of three Gaussian wavepackets, at time t one has (x, t) ∝ 0 (x, t) where j (x, t), j = 0, 1, 2, is given by [7] j…”