Quantum fluctuations in superfluorescence delay times

Abstract
Measurements are reported of the quantum fluctuations in superfluorescence delay times. The fluctuations depend strongly on the Fresnel number F of the sample. For F1 fair agreement with recent theories is obtained, while for larger F the fluctuations are smaller. A qualitative explanation for this F dependence is proposed. No correlation has been found between the delay times of pulses emitted from opposite ends of the same sample.