Time-dependent resonant-fluorescence spectrum of two-level atoms in strong short-pulsed fields: A nonperturbative treatment

A study is presented for the time-dependent resonance-fluorescence spectrum of two-level atoms irradiated by hyperbolic-secant pulsed lasers, allowing for an arbitrary spontaneous-emission rate from the excited level to the ground level. Novel features of the temporally transient spectrum have been observed. The spectrum is dominated by a central peak which oscillates in time and is accompanied by multiple side peaks. Asymptotically (i.e., after the pulse has passed) the side peaks disappear, leaving a tail at the line center which displays a Lorentzian shape of width equal to the sum of the spontaneous-emission rate and the width of the spectrometer considered and of magnitude proportional to the instantaneous intensity of the pulse. The exact behavior of the spectrum is dictated by the area of the engaged pulse and by how the atom is prepared initially. In particular, it is found that the spectrum can be asymmetric even when the laser is tuned to exact resonance if the atoms are initially prepared in a certain class of proper coherent states, irrespective of how the field amplitude may vary in time. An analysis of the spectral symmetry without resorting to any explicit evaluation of the spectrum itself is also presented. Furthermore, the associated optical Bloch equations are solved analytically in terms of hypergeometric functions in a similar manner to that done previously for the undamped two-level Schrödinger equation. Specific numerical results are presented for pulses of area equal to , 2, 3, 4, and 5 for both symmetric and asymmetric cases.