Abstract

We calculate the two-level pump-probe absorption coefficient including both upper-to-lower-level decay and level decays to a still lower lying reservoir level. We carried out calculations of probe absorption profile for arbitrary ratios of natural width and detuning to the Doppler width associated with a given transition. This theory accounts for contributions from all velocity subclasses of atoms, not only those which are Doppler shifted into resonance with the laser field (Doppler limit).¹ We observe and explain new line shape features based on dissimilar decays.

© 1987 Optical Society of America