Introduction to the Theory of Laser-Atom Interactions

1 Basic Ideas.- 1.1. Introduction.- 1.2. Transition to a Classical Description of the Laser.- 1.3. Dipole Approximation, Center-of-Mass Transformation, Ponderomotive Potential.- 1.4. Gauge Transformations.- 1.5. Transitions and Gauge Invariance.- 1.6. Laser Statistics, Fluctuations, and Multimode Operation.- Notes and References.- 2 States in a Weak-Near-Resonant Laser.- 2.1. Introduction.- 2.2. Two-State Rotating Wave Approximation.- 2.3. Estimation of Errors.- 2.4. Adiabatic Time Dependence.- 2.5. Excitation.- 2.6. Coherent Trapping in the Three-State Problem.- Notes and References.- 3 States of an Atom in a Laser.- 3.1. Introduction.- 3.2. Definition of the States.- 3.3. Weak Nonresonant Field Example—Dynamic Stark Effect.- 3.4. Ultraintense Laser Field Example.- 3.5. Weak Resonant Field Example.- 3.6. Very High Frequency Example.- 3.7. The Two-State Atom in a Low-Frequency Laser, a Solvable Model.- Notes and References.- 4 Spontaneous Radiation by Atoms in Lasers.- 4.1. Introduction.- 4.2. Effects of Fluorescence in a Two-State Atom.- 4.3. The Fluorescent Spectrum.- 4.4. Correlation Effects.- Notes and References.- 5 Deflection of Atoms in Laser Fields and External Fields.- 5.1. Introduction.- 5.2. States of the Atom + Laser + External Field.- 5.3. Inclusion of Fluorescence.- 5.4. Inclusion of Center-of-Mass Motion.- 5.5. Discussion of the Force.- 5.6. Deflection by an Inhomogeneous Laser.- Notes and References.- 6 Potential Scattering of Charged Particles in a Laser Field.- 6.1. Introduction.- 6.2. States of the Free Electron.- 6.3. Formalism and the Born Approximation.- 6.4. A Theorem for Low-Frequency Lasers and Nonresonant Scattering.- 6.5. Resonant Potential Scattering in a Low-Frequency Laser.- Notes and References.- 7 Ionization.- 7.1. Introduction.- 7.2.Resonant and Nonresonant Two-Photon Ionization by a Weak Laser.- 7.3. Resonant Ionization for More than Two Photons.- 7.4. Angular Distribution of Electrons from Resonant Multichannel Ionization.- 7.5. Multiphoton Ionization in Multiple Energy Continua.- 7.6. Multiphoton Ionization in an Ultraintense Laser Field.- Notes and References.- 8 Electron-Atom Scattering in a Laser Field.- 8.1. Introduction.- 8.2. Formal Theory.- 8.3. Weak Resonant Laser.- 8.4. More Intense Resonant Laser.- 8.5. Intermediate-State Resonance.- 8.6. Low-Frequency Laser.- Notes and References.- 9 Atom-Atom Scattering in the Field of a Laser.- 9.1. Introduction.- 9.2. Degenerate Charge Transfer in the Field of a Laser.- 9.3. Laser-Induced Reactions.- 9.4. Nontransitory Resonance in a Weak Laser.- 9.5. Nonresonant Modification of Reactions.- 9.6. Modification of Long-Range Potentials.- Notes and References.- Appendix: The Effect of an Adiabatically Switched Laser on an Atom with a Continuum.