  We evaluate the squeezing of a probe beam with a transverse Gaussian profile
interacting with an ensemble of two-level atoms in a cavity. We use the linear
input-output formalism where the effect of atoms is described by susceptibility
and noise functions. The transverse structure is accounted for by averaging
atomic functions over the intensity profile. The results of the plane-wave and
Gaussian-wave theories are compared. When large squeezing is predicted we find
the prediction of the plane-wave model not to be reliable outside the Kerr
domain. We give an estimate of the squeezing degradation due to the Gaussian
transverse structure.
