Measurements of intensity correlations of scattered light from laser-cooled atoms

We report measurements of the intensity correlations of scattered light from atoms in optical molasses. For small numbers of atoms, the observations are consistent with recent models of the Rayleigh and Raman contributions to the frequency spectrum. Magnetic fields on the order of 100 mG significantly broaden the spectrum. Radiation trapping results in reduction of the size of the correlations as well as broadening of the spectrum. © 1996 The American Physical Society.