How Does Laser Beam Influence Atom's Dipole Transition Moments?

[x-ray]

Hi all

I just have some questions about atom-laser interaction.

Suppose that you have single two-level atom interacting with standing wave laser field with specific polarization.

my questions are :

How many dipole transition moment vectors can the system of a two-level have?
How can the laser beam pick out one of these vectors to interact with the atom through it?
Can the laser beam change the direction of an atomic dipole transition moment?

 

[Redbelly98]

Welcome to PF, x-ray.

Since there are only 2 levels, there is just 1 transition.

The laser will interact with that transition ... strongly if the laser's frequency is within a linewidth of the transition frequency, weakly if it is several linewidths or more away from the transition frequency.