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Homogeneous Broadening

Definition: the increase in the linewidth of an atomic transition caused by effects which affect different radiating or absorbing atoms in the same way

German: homogene Verbreiterung

Category: physical foundations

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Homogeneous broadening, as opposed to inhomogeneous broadening, refers to effects which increase the optical linewidth of an electronic transition by equally affecting different radiating or absorbing atoms, ions or molecules. The spectral shape of the transition cross sections of all involved atoms are then equal.

Some common cases with homogeneous broadening are as follows:

Homogeneous broadening is strongly related to homogeneous saturation in laser gain media.

Questions and Comments from Users

2020-04-27

Please identify the spectral line broadening mechanisms as homogeneous or inhomogeneous in the case of collisions between atoms in a gas.

Answer from the author:

Collisions of particles in a gas affect the absorption or emission properties of all the particles, and these particles are all subject to the same rate of collision processes. Therefore, the spectral broadening can be categorized as being homogeneous.

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See also: linewidth, inhomogeneous broadening, gain bandwidth, gain saturation
and other articles in the category physical foundations

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