Resonant optical superradiation at an interface

Under certain conditions the propagation of resonant laser radiation in an optical medium can give rise to superradiation phenomena, including photon echo, self-induced transparency, and optical nutation. This paper presents a theoretical study of the possibility of such phenomena on the surface atoms of an optical medium. Attention is given to the reflection and refraction of resonant optical pulses at an interface during a time that is not greater than the times of longitudinal and transverse irreversible relaxation in the system of surface atoms. It is shown that optical nutation and photon echo can arise on the interface.