Two-Photon Absorption

Two-photon absorption is theoretically analyzed within the semiclassical formalism of radiation-matter interaction. We consider an ensemble of inhomogeneously broadened three-level atoms subjected to the action of two counterpropagating fields of the same frequency. By concentrating in the limit of large detuning in one-photon transitions, we solve perturbatively the Bloch equations in a non-usual way. In this way we derive an analytical expression for the width of the two-photon resonance that makes evident sub-Doppler two--photon spectroscopy. We also derive an analytical expression for the Stark shift of the two-photon resonance.