Spectral detection of resonance fluorescence as a generalized quantum measurement

Spectrally resolved detection of single atom resonance fluorescence in the limit of well-separated spectral lines is considered. By using a special type of correlation measurements over the fluorescent field, in which a filtered photon detection is followed by an unfiltered photon detection, we obtain a conditioned atomic state following the filtered photon detection. The properties of the atomic state following detection of the reflected photon are studied and interpreted on the basis of quantum interference between the dressed states. Measurement operators associated with the detection of the passed and reflected photons are derived and used to construct the master equation for the atomic density matrix subjected to continuous spectral detection, the filter tuning being arbitrary.