Longitudinal Spacial First-Order Phase Transition in a System of Coherently-Driven, Two-Level Atoms

摘要

A spacially extended system of two level atoms interacting with a resonant electromagnetic field exhibits conditions for which two phases, of high and low excitation, coexist spacially, in the direction of propagation in the material. The spacial first order phase transition and its properties are related in an inversion-dependent renormalization of the resonance frequency, which becomes significant for a collection of two level atoms with high density and large oscillator strengths. Keywords: Optical bistability; Intrinsic optical bistability; High Q cavity; Quantum mechanical approach; Mean field approximation; Two level atoms; Reprints. (JHD)