AUTLER-TOWNES MICROSCOPY ON A SINGLE-ATOM

The detection of a spontaneously emitted photon from a three-level ato m, in which the two upper levels are driven by a classical standing li ght field, yields information about the centre-of-mass position of the atom relative to the nodes of the driving field. We present a pure st ate treatment of the: system and show that the measurement leads to a reduction of the system's wave-function, which manifests itself in a l ocalization of the atom.