Abstract
By using a modified Robertson projection technique an exact equation of motion for the expectation value of the population inversion operatorS z of a single two-level atom in the case of spontaneous emission is derived. Afterwards, by making the Markov approximation, it is shown that the ground state expectation value〈S z 〉 t =− 1/2 fort→∞ will be reached only if the rotating-wave approximation or the Born approximation is made additionally.
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Seke, J. Spontaneous emission of a two-level system and the influence of the rotating-wave approximation on the final state. I. J Stat Phys 33, 223–229 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01009757
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01009757