Superradiant light scattering from noncondensed, thermal atomic vapors was experimentally studied. We found that superradiant gain is independent of quantum degeneracy and determined only by the shape of the atomic cloud and a contained number of atoms. Superradiant pump-probe spectroscopy was also developed to measure the atomic correlation function, revealing the Doppler-width-limited coherence time of the thermal gas and sudden buildup of long-lived coherence below the transition temperature.

• Received 12 July 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.083602