The resonance fluorescence cascade of a laser-excited two-level atom

The cascade of fluorescence photons by a two-level atom excited by coherent laser light is reviewed. The discussion emphasizes the random nature of resonance fluorescence and uses the distribution of delays between two successively emitted photons as the primary characterization of the process. Other characterizations such as photon counting and photon correlation are deduced.

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This article reviews the cascade of fluorescence photons emitted by a two-level atom excited by coherent laser light. The discussion focuses on the random nature of resonance fluorescence and characterizes the process by analyzing the distribution of delays between successive emitted photons. Other characteristics such as photon counting and photon correlation are also examined.