Multiatom squeezed states: a new class of collective atomic states

We introduce states of correlated pairs of atoms with the property that the collective atomic dipole operators exhibit squeezing. These multiatom squeezed states are constructed by analogy with the multimode squeezed states and thermofield states of the radiation field. Atoms prepared in a multiatom squeezed state can radiate strongly squeezed light. The production of multiatom squeezing might be possible by using coherent excitation and population trapping techniques.