Mechanical Effects of Light

This lecture delves into the mechanical effects of light on atoms, focusing on simplifications in the Lindblatt equation to derive average forces exerted by light. The instructor explains the continuous momentum exchanges with the electromagnetic field, the impact of spontaneous emission, and the derivation of average forces using the Hamiltonian. The concept of dipole force and radiation pressure is introduced, highlighting their dependence on light intensity and excited state population. The lecture concludes by discussing the practical applications of these forces in trapping, manipulating, and cooling atoms.