We have studied the statistics of the absorption of photons by atoms by measuring the momentum distribution of an atomic beam that is deflected by a laser beam. We observe the transition from a Poissonian to a sub-Poissonian distribution, as we vary the detuning of the laser. The largest observed fractional deviation of the variance from Poissonian statistics is Q=-0.51±{}0.05, in agreement with theoretical predictions for our experimental conditions.
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Oldaker et al. (1990) studied this question.
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