Numerical simulations of accumulated stimulated photon echoes

A theory has been developed describing probe pulse-detected accumulated stimulated photon echo experiments on inhomogeneously broadened electronic transitions. This theory gives a more quantitative description of these experiments than the theory previously developed by Hesselink and Wiersma [J. Chem. Phys. 75, 4192 (1981)]. At the same time, the present theory provides numerical instead of analytical results. A better founded insight is obtained in the possibilities and limitations of the accumulated photon echo method. The main conclusion is that the measured echo decay curves are still expected to give T2 directly, thus maintaining the value of the accumulated echo technique as a convenient method to determine picosecond dephasing times. It is concluded that the probe pulse detected accumulated echo method is not readily applied to accurate determinations of intersystem crossing yields.