Forces exerted on atoms by stochastic laser fields

We present analytical results and numerical simulations for the force exerted on moving atoms in the fields of two counterpropagating waves whose amplitudes or phases are described as stochastic processes. We assume that one field repeats the other with some delay, as would occur when the two fields derive from a common source through a beam splitter and mirrors. We show that, just as with the force exerted by the field of two counterpropagating sequences of π-pulses, or two counterpropagating bichromatic or frequency-modulated waves, the force on an atom in counterpropagating stochastic waves may considerably exceed the force exerted by the field of a single running wave. For comparison we also discuss the interaction of an atom with two counterpropagating waves when one of them is monochromatic and the other one has a stochastic phase. In this case the force substantially exceeds the force exerted by the field of a single running wave but appreciably smaller then the radiative force in the counterpropagating waves in which one field repeats the other with some delay.