RESONANCE FLUORESCENCE IN A SQUEEZED THERMAL VACUUM

Atom radiation in a squeezed thermal reservoir is studied. We show tha t, as in the case of a squeezed vacuum reservoir, the two quadratures of the atomic polarization are damped at different rates. When the ato m is driven by a coherent field, Eve find that the steady-state polari zation depends on the relative phase of the squeezing and the driving field. However, this phase dependence becomes less pronounced when the number of thermal photons increases. The fluorescent spectrum is calc ulated in the strong-driving-field limit by employing the secular appr oximation. Properties of the spectrum and the possibility of a subnatu ral linewidth, are investigated.