PULSED-LASER RADIATION - A RIGOROUS MODEL FOR THE COLLECTIVE SPONTANEOUS EMISSION

A rigorous quantum mechanical model for the process of collective spon taneous emission (superradiance) is given. The model is based on a dam ped Dicke laser model for an arbitrary number of modes of the radiatio n field. A new result in the theory of one-parameter semigroups and th eir generators enables us, to obtain irreversible equations of motion for the macroscopic (i.e. classical) observables in the thermodynamic limit on the matter side, including damping reservoir terms. With help of these equations the influences of the reservoirs on the process ar e clarified. Equations for the emitted intensity pulses are derived an d the radiation properties as well as the connections to the experimen ts and the literature are discussed.