Eur. Phys. J. D 58, 161-165 (2010)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2010-00053-4

Anomalous photon diffusion in atomic vapors

¹ Laboratório de Espectroscopia Ótica, Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cx. Postal 5086, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
² Institut Non Linéaire de Nice, CNRS and Université Nice Sophia-Antipolis, 1361 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France

Corresponding author: martine@otica.ufpb.br

Received: 23 December 2009
Revised: 12 February 2010
Published online: 9 March 2010

Abstract

The multiple scattering of photons in a hot, resonant, atomic vapor is investigated and shown to exhibit a Lévy flight-like behavior. Monte Carlo simulations give insights into the frequency redistribution process that originates the long steps characteristic of this class of random walk phenomena.