Abstract

We consider the resonant interaction of a monovelocity beam of two-level Rydberg atoms, with one radiation mode in a high-Q microwave cavity. The number of atoms N is taken in the range from few tens to few hundreds, which is much larger than in a micromaser, and allows for a semiclassical treatment of the dynamics of the system. Furthermore, a resonant coherent driving field is present, so that the system can operate as a nonlinear absorber if, as we assume, the atoms are injected into the cavity in their lower state.

© 1994 IEEE