Reversal of radiation reaction force and instability of the ground state of an atom located above the surface of an active medium. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • It is shown that spontaneous emission of an excited atom is suppressed, and electromagnetic instability of the ground state is possible, if an atom is located in the vicinity of an active medium which amplifies the propagating radiation. The effect is due to a modified and phase-shifted near field of an oscillating atomic dipole, which prevails over the usual radiation reaction field related to the wave zone. The necessary conditions for the reversal of the total electromagnetic back reaction are found, and possible experimental realizations are discussed. 1996 The American Physical Society.

published proceedings

  • Phys Rev Lett

altmetric score

  • 3

author list (cited authors)

  • Kocharovsky, V. V., & Belyanin, A. A.

citation count

  • 10

complete list of authors

  • Kocharovsky, VV||Belyanin, AA

publication date

  • April 1996