Simultaneous jumps in two two-level atoms

We demonstrate the importance of collective behaviour in two identical two-level atoms. When the atoms become very close together a cascade three-level atom analysis can be adopted to show the increasing possibility of simultaneous jumps. Due to the dipole-dipole interaction the intermediate one-atom excited state is detuned by a large amount when the atoms are close together but leaving the upper two-atom excited state in two-photon resonance. The relative importance of multiple jumps compared with stepwise independent jumps is then changed dramatically.