Scattering of an exponential pulse by a single atom

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how a single atom scatters an exponential light pulse in free space using a semi-classical approach, revealing that the scattered spectrum forms a decreasing exponential pulse due to interference effects.

Contribution

It introduces a semi-classical model for single-atom scattering of exponential pulses, highlighting spectral interference effects and resulting pulse transformations.

Findings

The scattered spectrum becomes a decreasing exponential pulse.

Interference between incident and scattered light shapes the output spectrum.

The model applies to a full solid angle incident pulse.

Abstract

We discuss the scattering of a light pulse by a single atom in free space using a purely semi-classical framework. The atom is treated as a linear elastic scatterer allowing to treat each spectral component of the incident pulse separately. For an increasing exponential pulse with a dipole radiation pattern incident from full solid angle the spectrum resulting from interference of incident and scattered components is a decreasing exponential pulse.