Scattering not only broadens the width of the optical transition between two levels but can enable optical gain and absorption to coexist — a fact that is unambiguously demonstrated by the observation of 'Bloch gain' in a quantum cascade laser.
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Wacker, A. Coexistence of gain and absorption. Nature Phys 3, 298–299 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys603
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys603
