Reflection of resonant light from a plane surface of an ensemble of motionless point scatters: Quantum microscopic approach

TL;DR

This paper presents a quantum microscopic analysis of how dense, disordered ensembles of motionless point scatters reflect resonant light, comparing results with classical Fresnel theory and exploring surface effects.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed quantum microscopic model for light reflection from dense scatterer surfaces, including polarization, inhomogeneity, and surface layer effects, extending prior theoretical work.

Findings

Calculated angular distribution of scattered light for s and p polarizations.

Determined the ratio of coherent to incoherent scattered light components.

Analyzed the dependence of reflected light on incidence angle, density, and frequency.

Abstract

On the basis of general theoretical results developed previously in [JETP 112, 246 (2011)], we analyze the reflection of quasiresonant light from a plane surface of dense and disordered ensemble of motionless point scatters. Angle distribution of the scattered light is calculated both for s and p polarizations of the probe radiation. The ratio between coherent and incoherent (diffuse) components of scattered light is calculated. We analyze the contributions of scatters located at different distances from the surface and determine on this background the thickness of surface layer responsible for reflected beam generation. The inhomogeneity of dipole-dipole interaction near the surface is discussed.We study also dependence of total reflected light power on the incidence angle and compare the results of the microscopic approach with predictions of the Fresnel reflection theory. The calculations are performed for different densities of scatters and different frequencies of a probe radiation.