Light in opaque atomic vapour : radiation trapping, random laser and Lévy flights

The matter-light interaction in opaque media gives rise to collective effects which may be explained by the coupling between atomic equations and light transfer equation. The trapping of light in an opaque multi-levels atomic system will be studied experimentally in a cold vapour and theoritically. Then, this vapour will be in situation with gain and amplification of light occurs. We will show that a laser threshold exists with this kind of system. Experimentally, the mixing of Raman gain and multiple scattering on a resonant line allowed the abservation a cold-atom random laser. The validity of diffusion equation needs a non frequency shift and so the temperature of atoms should be sufficiently cold to avoid Doppler effect. Finally we study the transport of light in an opaque hot atomic vapour (20°C-180°C). The Doppler effect breaks the Beer-Lambert law for photons step size distribution which is then a Levy flight statictics.

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Source https://theses.hal.science/tel-00952969
Author Baudouin, Quentin
Maintainer CCSD
Last Updated May 6, 2026, 05:18 (UTC)
Created May 6, 2026, 05:18 (UTC)
Identifier NNT: 2013NICE4077
Language fr
Rights https://about.hal.science/hal-authorisation-v1/
contributor Institut Non Linéaire de Nice Sophia-Antipolis (INLN) ; Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Côte d'Azur (UniCA)
creator Baudouin, Quentin
date 2013-10-17T00:00:00
harvest_object_id de299bfe-0cb9-4533-953a-272871d9e43c
harvest_source_id 3374d638-d20b-4672-ba96-a23232d55657
harvest_source_title test moissonnage SELUNE
metadata_modified 2026-03-31T00:00:00
set_spec type:THESE