Complex resonance and complex-frequency spectroscopy

The response of a medium to radiation with a complex frequency corresponding to an exponential time decrease in the radiation amplitude has been analyzed. The effect of complex resonance has been demonstrated when the real and imaginary parts of the complex radiation frequency approach the real and imaginary parts of the complex frequency of damping natural oscillations of medium oscillators. In resonance itself, the absolute value of the refractive index is divergent and radiation is completely reflected from the medium boundary. It has been shown that scanning of not only the real part, but also the imaginary part of the probe radiation frequency expands the capabilities of spectroscopy and makes it possible to, e.g., distinguish resonances even with coinciding (real) frequencies and close (of the same order of magnitude) widths.