Abstract

In a theoretical discussion of optical bistability, it is often necessary to resort to some approximation scheme to discuss time-dependent properties. The standard method consists in assuming a very good cavity (κ«γ_⊥, γ₁₁) Or a very bad cavity (γ₁₁ <<κ₁, γ_⊥ ) and to perform an adiabatic elimihation of the fast varying variables. In the good cavity limit /1/ the atomic variables are eliminated and one is left with an equation for the field. In the bad cavity limit /2/ the field and the atomic polarization are eliminated and one is left with an eouation for the atomic inversion.

© 1983 Optical Society of America