Stimulated versus spontaneous emission as a cause of photon correlations

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Abstract
Assertions that stimulated emission may cause photon correlations (or, properly, photocount correlations) are discussed. A particular association of terms in the density matrix rate equation for first order, linear, interactions is urged, following the literature of maser amplifiers. With this association of terms, a consistent picture results in which stimulated emission amplifies without altering the statistical character of an incident field. Spontaneous emission generates excess correlations, through its interference with the incident field. Objections to Webb's thermodynamic argument for an association between stimulated emission and the occurrence of photon correlations are also discussed.