Optical superradiance: new ideas and new experiments

An orderly account is given of the processes of coherent propagation, amplification, and generation of pulses in polyatomic resonant media. The characteristic features of the propagation of solitons in resonant media of finite length are considered. Comparisons are made of the exponential and “lethargic” amplification of pulses in resonant media. It is shown that an allowance for the reflection of the field from the boundaries of an active medium gives rise to a qualitatively different dependence of the parameters of the pulses on the reflection coefficients under superradiance and lasing conditions, which makes it possible to introduce a criterion to distinguish lasing from superradiance. An analysis is made of the characteristics of collective superradiance, which is a new case of coherent generation of pulses. Experimental and theoretical investigations of rf superradiance emitted by systems of nuclear spins are reviewed.