O Bessel Functions

Bessel functions appear in many problems of theoretical physics. In the field of

quantum optics they manifest themselves in the momentum distribution of atoms
scattered off a standing light field. We therefore derive in this appendix various
properties of them and then apply the method of stationary phase to their integral
representation.

O.I Definition
Bessel functions Jp(z) of the first kind arise as the Fourier coefficients in the expansion

p= oo

This immediately yields the integral representations

7T 27T

J (z) = fdO exp[-i(p0 - 2sin0)] = fd0 exp[-i(pO - z sin 0)1 (O.I)

2vr J ZTT J
-7T 0

of the Bessel function. Both representations are equivalent since we are integrating
over a 27r-periodic function.
In the problem of the deflection of atoms the two integrals

c(p) = j^ dO cos(Ksm6)e-ip9
and
s(p) = ^
occur. We can express them in terms of Bessel functions when we represent the
trigonometric functions cosine and sine as the sum and difference of exponentials
and shift the integration in one of the integrals by TT. After minor calculations we
then find

and
s(P) = -l-(i-(-iy}jP(K).
Hence, c(p) vanishes for odd values of p whereas s(p) vanishes for even values.

Quantum Optics in Phase Space. Wolfgang P. Schleich

Copyright 2001 WILEY-VCH Verlag Berlin GmbH, Berlin
ISBN: 3-527-29435-X
680 O Bessei Functions

O.2 Asymptotic Expansion

The Bessei function Jp(z) displays characteristic features: It decays rapidly for \p\ > z
and oscillates for \p\ < z. In the present section we perform an asymptotic expansion
of Jp(z) by applying the method of stationary phase to the integral representation
of the Bessei function.
For this purpose we expand the phase

S(0)=pO-z8in9 (0.2)

of the Bessei function

7T

JP(z) = ^ fdO e*p[

7T

around its point of stationary phase 0S, governed by

d_S_
(0.3)
~d9
or
- = cos0s. (O.4)
z
Hence for \p/z\ < 1 we find within the integration region the two real-valued points
of stationary phase
9S = arccos fP\
- .
\z)
However, for \p/z\ > 1 we find only purely imaginary points of stationary phase.
When we substitute them into the phase 5(0) the phase in the exponent becomes
purely imaginary and together with the prefactor i leads to exponentially small terms.
This explains the rapid decay of the Bessei function for \p\ > z.
We now turn to the case of the two real-valued points of stationary phase for
\p\ < z. When we substitute them into the definition Eq. (O.2) of the phase we find

S(9S) = \p arccos (-) - Jz2 - p2] .

L \Z/ J

The second derivative of 5(0) follows from Eq. (O.3) together with Eq. (O.4)

<925
= zsm0\e=0 =
d92

The Bessei function integral Eq. (O.I) then reads

Jp(z) = = exp < i Jz2 - p2 - p arccos ( - ) I

V 2?r I L \zj\)
 References 681

which with the help of the formula

for real a reduces to

" V4
Jp(z) ^ (z - p )" cos jz* - p2 - parccos - - 7r/4 .
2 2

We note that the interference of the two real- valued points of stationary phase #s
determined by
p = z cos #s
leads to an oscillatory behavior of the Bessel function Jp(z) for p < z.

References
The asymptotic expansion of the Bessel function presented in this appendix is the
most elementary example of a Debye expansion. For more details we refer to
P. Debye, Ndherungsformeln JUT die Zylinderfunktionen fur grofte Werte des Argu-
ments und unbeschrdnkt verdnderliche Werte des Index, Math. Ann. 67, 535-558
(1909)