[en] Supperradiance, the idea that the spontaneous emission rate of an assembly of atoms (or molecules) can be much greater than that of the same number of isolated atoms, has been the subject of much interest since it was originally proposed by DICKE in 1954. In the process of superradiant emission the atoms are coupled together by their common radiation field, and so decay cooperatively. The intensity emitted by N atoms in this case is proportional to N² instead of N, as in ordinary emission. Thus, superadiance is a fundamental effect. (orig.)