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Laser Action Einstein Theory of Laser Types Applications in Industry
Laser Action Einstein Theory of Laser Types Applications in Industry
Laser Action Einstein Theory of Laser Types Applications in Industry
SECTION: C7802
ROLL No.:RC7802A21
• Introduction
• Laser action
• Types of lasers
• Applications
• Recent discoveries
• Recent applications
• References
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
For the completion of this term paper I would like to acknowledge my respected teacher
Dr .AMRITA SAXENA who was always worthily helpful to help me in my queries in
different aspects.
I would also like acknowledge my friends who helped me a lot in the completion f this
and were always there at one call.
JAGDEEP SINGH
INTRODUCTION
The name LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of
Radiation.
Light is really an
electromagnetic wave. Each wave has brightness and color, and vibrates at a certain
angle, so-called polarization. This is also true for laser light but it is more parallel than
any other light source. Every part of the beam has (almost) the exact same direction and
the beam will therefore diverge very little. With a good laser an object at a distance of 1
km (0.6 mile) can be illuminated with a dot about 60 mm (2.3 inches) in radius.
As it is so parallel it can also be focused to very small diameters where the concentration
of light energy becomes so great that you can cut, drill or turn with the beam. It also
makes it possible to illuminate and examine very tiny details. It is this property that is
used in surgical appliances and in CD players.
It can also be made very monochromic, so that just one light wavelength is present. This
is not the case with ordinary light sources. White light contains all the colors in the
spectrum, but even a colored light, such as a red LED (light emitting diode) contains a
continuous interval of red wavelengths.
On the other hand, laser emissions are not usually very strong when it comes to energy
content. A very powerful laser of the kind that is used in a laser show does not give off
more light than an ordinary streetlight; the difference is in how parallel it is.
On March 24, 1959, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow were granted a patent for the
maser. The maser was used to amplify radio signals and as an ultrasensitive detector for
space research.
In 1958, Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow theorized and published papers about a
visible laser, an invention that would use infrared and/or visible spectrum light, however,
they did not proceed with any research at the time.
Many different materials can be used as lasers. Some, like the ruby laser, emit short
pulses of laser light. Others, like helium-neon gas lasers or liquid dye lasers emit a
continuous beam of light.
LASER ACTION
Lasers are possible because of the way light interacts with electrons. Electrons exist at
specific energy levels or states characteristic of that particular atom or molecule. The
energy levels can be imagined as rings or orbits around a nucleus. Electrons in outer rings
are at higher energy levels than those in inner rings. Electrons can be bumped up to
higher energy levels by the injection of energy-for example, by a flash of light. When an
electron drops from an outer to an inner level, "excess" energy is given off as light. The
wavelength or color of the emitted light is precisely related to the amount of energy
released. Depending on the particular lasing material being used, specific wavelengths of
light are absorbed (to energize or excite the electrons) and specific wavelengths are
emitted (when the electrons fall back to their initial level).
In a cylinder a fully reflecting mirror is placed on one end and a partially reflecting
mirror on the other. A high-intensity lamp is spiraled around the ruby cylinder to provide
a flash of white light that triggers the laser action. The green and blue wavelengths in the
flash excite electrons in the atoms to a higher energy level. Upon returning to their
normal state, the electrons emit their characteristic ruby-red light. The mirrors reflect
some of this light back and forth inside the ruby crystal, stimulating other excited
chromium atoms to produce more red light, until the light pulse builds up to high power
and drains the energy stored in the crystal. High-voltage electricity causes the quartz flash
tube to emit an intense burst of light, exciting some of the atoms in the ruby crystal to
higher energy levels. At a specific energy level, some atoms emit particles of light called
photons. At first the photons are emitted in all directions. Photons from one atom
stimulate emission of photons from other atoms and the light intensity is rapidly
amplified. Mirrors at each end reflect the photons back and forth, continuing this process
of stimulated emission and amplification. The photons leave through the partially silvered
mirror at one end. This is laser light.
EINSTEIN THEORY OF LASER
Although Einstein did not invent the laser his work laid the foundation. It was Einstein
who pointed out that stimulated emission of radiation could occur along with spontaneous
emission & absorption. He used his photon mathematics to examine the case of a large
collection of atoms full of excess energy and ready to emit a photon at some random time
in a random direction. If a stray photon passes by, then the atoms are stimulated by its
presence to emit their photons early. More remarkably, the emitted photons go in the
same direction and have exactly the same frequency as the original photon ! Later, as the
small crowd of identical photons moves through the rest of the atoms, more and more
photons will leave their atoms early to join in the subatomic parade.
All it took to invent the laser was for someone to find the right kind of atoms and to add
reflecting mirrors to help the stimulated emission along .The acronym LASER means
Light Amplification by (using Einstein's ideas about) Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Stimulated Emission
Normally atoms and molecules emit light at more or less random times and in random
directions and phases. All light created in normal light sources, such as bulbs, candles, neon
tubes and even the sun is generated in this way.
If energy is stored in the atom and light of the correct wavelength passes close by something
else can happen. The atom emits light that is totally synchronous with the passing light. This
means that the passing light has been amplified which is necessary for the oscillation taking
place between the mirrors in a laser.
Light is normally emitted from atoms or molecules that meet with two conditions.
- They have stored energy originating from heat or previous absorption of light
- A time has passed since the energy was stored
Light emitted in this way goes in random directions, with random phases and at random
times.
Albert Einstein predicted early in the 1900s that there is also another way for light to be
emitted. It can amplify a passing beam, provided three conditions are met:
- Energy is stored in the atom (same as above)
- Light passes close enough to the atom before the time has expired and the light is emitted in
the random fashion described above
- The passing light has a wavelength suitable for the atom.
The process taking place in this case is called Stimulated Emission, which, together with
feedback in a resonant cavity between mirrors, forms the conditions for laser.
TYPES OF LASER
1. Two level: In this photon from mata stable state jumps to second level on
excitation
2. Three level: In this photon from mata stable state jumps to third level on
excitation
3. Four level: In this photon from mata stable state jumps to fourth level on
excitation
ON THE BASIS OF MATERIAL USED
GAS LASERS
Gas laser
Laser gain
Operation
medium Pump source Applications and notes
wavelength(s)
and type
Krypton 416 nm, 530.9 nm, Electrical Scientific research, mixed with
laser 568.2 nm, 647.1 nm, argon to create "white-light" lasers,
676.4 nm, 752.5 nm,
discharge light shows.
799.3 nm
Transverse (high
Carbon power) or
Material processing (cutting,
dioxide 10.6 μm, (9.4 μm) longitudinal (low
welding, etc.), surgery.
laser power) electrical
discharge
Excimer
193 nm (ArF), 248 nm Ultraviolet lithography for
Excimer recombination via
(KrF), 308 nm (XeCl), semiconductor manufacturing,
laser electrical
353 nm (XeF) laser surgery, LASIK.
discharge
CHEMICAL LASERS
Chemical laser
Chemical reaction of
chlorine atoms with
gaseous hydrazoic acid,
Agil (All 1.315 μm (<70%
resulting in excited Scientific, weaponry,
gas-phase Atmospheric
molecules of nitrogen aerospace.
iodine laser) transmittance)
chloride, which then pass
their energy to the iodine
atoms.
DYE LASER
Dye laser
Laser gain
Pump
medium Operation wavelength(s) Applications and notes
source
and type
METAL-VAPOR LASERS
Laser gain
Operation
medium and Pump source Applications and notes
wavelength(s)
type
Helium-
mercury Rare, scientific research, amateur
567 nm, 615 nm Electrical
(HeHg) metal- laser construction.
vapor laser discharge in metal
vapor mixed with
helium buffer gas.
Helium- up to 24
selenium wavelengths Rare, scientific research, amateur
(HeSe) metal- between red and laser construction.
vapor laser UV
Helium-silver
(HeAg) metal- 224.3 Scientific research
vapor laser
Electrical
Neon-copper
discharge in metal
(NeCu) metal- 248.6 Scientific research
vapor mixed with
vapor laser
neon buffer gas.
Copper vapor 510.6 nm, 578.2 Electrical Dermatological uses, high speed
laser nm discharge photography, pump for dye lasers.
Gold vapor Rare, dermatological and
627 nm
laser photodynamic therapy uses.
SOLID-STATE LASER
Flashlamp,
Er:YAG laser 2.94 μm Periodontal scaling, Dentistry
laser diode
Thulium YAG
2.0 μm Laser diode LIDAR.
(Tm:YAG) laser
Ytterbium:2O3 (glass
1.03 μm Laser diode ultrashort pulse research, [3]
or ceramics) laser
Fiber version is capable of
producing several-kilowatt
continuous power, having ~70-
80% optical-to-optical and ~25%
electrical-to-optical efficiency.
Ytterbium doped
Material processing: cutting,
glass laser (rod, 1. μm Laser diode.
welding, marking; nonlinear fiber
plate/chip, and fiber)
optics: broadband fiber-
nonlinearity based sources, pump
for fiber Raman lasers; distributed
Raman amplification pump for
telecommunications.
Frequency
quadrupled
Cerium doped
Nd:YAG laser
lithium strontium(or
pumped, Remote atmospheric sensing,
calcium) aluminum ~280 to 316 nm
excimer laser LIDAR, optics research.
fluoride (Ce:LiSAF,
pumped,
Ce:LiCAF)
copper vapor
laser pumped.
Flashlamp,
Chromium doped Typically tuned laser diode,
Dermatological uses, LIDAR, laser
chrysoberyl in the range of mercury arc
machining.
(alexandrite) laser 700 to 820 nm (for CW mode
operation)
Erbium doped and 1.53-1.56 μm Laser diode These are made in rod, plate/chip,
erbium-ytterbium and optical fiber form. Erbium
codoped glass lasers doped fibers are commonly used as
optical amplifiers for
telecommunications.
SEMICONDUCTOR LASER
Laser diode
Laser gain
Operation Pump
medium and Applications and notes
wavelength(s) source
type
Hybrid silicon
Mid-infrared Research
laser
Laser gain
Operation
medium and Pump source Applications and notes
wavelength(s)
type
A broad
wavelength range
(about 100 nm -
Free electron several mm); one relativistic atmospheric research, material
laser free electron laser electron beam science, medical applications.
may be tunable
over a wavelength
range
Lasing in ultra-hot
First demonstration of efficient
samarium plasma
"saturated" operation of a sub–
formed by double
10 nm X-ray laser, possible
pulse terawatt
applications in high resolution
scale irradiation
"Nickel-like" X-rays at 7.3 nm microscopy and holography,
fluences created
Samarium laser wavelength operation is close to the "water
by Rutherford
window" at 2.2 to 4.4 nm where
Appleton
observation of DNA structure
Laboratory's
and the action of viruses and
Nd:glass Vulcan
drugs on cells can be examined.
laser. [3]
Raman laser,
uses inelastic Complete 1-2 μm wavelength
stimulated coverage; distributed optical
Other laser, mostly
Raman scattering 1-2 μm for fiber signal amplification for
Yb-glass fiber
in a nonlinear version telecommunications; optical
lasers
media, mostly solitons generation and
fiber, for amplification
amplification
Nuclear pumped
See gas lasers Nuclear fission Research
laser
APPLICATIONS
Laser technologies have also been used within environmental areas. One example is the ability to
determine from a distance the environmental toxins in a column of smoke. Other examples are
being able to predict and measure the existence of photochemical smog and ozone, both at ground
level where it isn't wanted and in the upper layers of the atmosphere where it is needed. Laser is
also used to supervise wastewater purification.
Laser works as a light source in all fiber optics in use. It has greater bandwidth (potentially
100,000 times greater) than an ordinary copper cable.
It is insensitive to interference from external electrical and magnetic fields. Crosstalk (hearing
someone else's phone call) is of rare occurrence.
Fiber optics is used increasingly often in data and telecommunications around the world.
Medicine
Laser is used in medicine to improve precision work like surgery. Brain surgery is an example of
precision surgery that calls for the surgeon to reach the intended area precisely. To make sure of
this, lasers are used both to measure and to point in the area in question. Birthmarks, warts and
discoloring of the skin can easily be removed with an unfocused laser. The operations are quick
and heal quickly and, best of all, they are less painful than ordinary surgery performed with a
scalpel.
RECENT APPLICATIONS
DVD
A DVD player contains a laser that is used not because it produces a parallel beam, but rather
because the light emerges from a tiny point, which enables it to be focused on the different layers
of the disc. By moving the lens sideways - laterally, it is possible to reach areas farther in or out
on the disc. By moving the lens along the beam - longitudinally, different depths can be reached
in the disc. The information, ones and zeros, is stored in several layers, and only one layer is to
be read at a time. Every point on a particular layer is read during every revolution of the disc.
In order to make room for a lot of information on every disc, the beam has to be focused on as
small an area as possible. This cannot be done with any other light source than a laser.
Today this area has been reduced to about half a square micrometer, which yields 2 megabits
or 0,25 MB(yte) per mm2.
Laser Pointers
Laser pointers are made from inexpensive semiconductor lasers that together with a lens produce
a parallel beam of light that can be used to make a bright spot to point with. Their range is very
large. If one points at a surface 200 meters (220 yards) distant in the dark, a person standing close
to the object being pointed at will have no trouble seeing the shining spot (of course, someone
else has to hold the laser). On the other hand, the one holding the pointer will have difficulty
seeing the spot. The eternal question of range has more to do with the light's behavior on its way
back to the sender than with the length of the beam.
Laser Sights
Laser sights for rifles and guns can be based on several different principles. Some send a laser
beam parallel to the trajectory so that the point of impact becomes visible. This method exposes
the marksman. Some project a red dot inside a telescopic sight (instead of cross hairs). In both
cases, the dot can be produced with a ring around it.
Townes, Basov and Prokhorov shared the prize for their fundamental work, which led to
the construction of lasers. They founded the theory of lasers and described how a laser
could be built, originating from a similar appliance for microwaves called the MASER
that was introduced during the '50s (The MASER has not been used as much as the laser).
However, the first functioning laser was not built by them, but by Maiman in 1960.
This was the work that resulted in the big and rather clumsy lasers built in the beginning
of the '60s. Still, their theory for the laser effect is the one that fundamentally describes all
lasers. Every time you listen to a CD or point with a laser pointer, you hold their
discovery in your hand.
1971
Gabor (alone) was given the prize, having founded the basic ideas of the holographic
method, which is a famous and spectacular application of laser technology. At first "just"
a method of creating 3-D pictures, it has since become a useful tool for the observation of
vibrating objects. Much of what we today know about how musical instruments produce
their tones is due to the use of holograms.
In addition to holograms that can be bought and hung on a wall, simpler holograms can be
found on many other things where you might not expect to find them. Small holograms
are present on many credit cards and identity cards in order to make them more difficult to
forge.
1981
Bloembergen and Schawlow received the prize for their contribution to the development
of laser spectroscopy. One typical application of this is nonlinear optics which means
methods of influencing one light beam with another and permanently joining several laser
beams (not just mixing them - compare the difference between mixing two substances and
making them chemically react with one another).
These phenomena mean that a light beam can in principle be steered by another light
beam. If in the future someone intends to build an optical computer (that could be much
faster and much more efficient in storing data), it would have to be based on a nonlinear
optic.
When using optical fibers, for example in broadband applications, several of the switches
and amplifiers that are used require nonlinear optical effects.
1997
Chu, Cohen-Tannoudji and Phillips et al. received the prize for their developments of
methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light which is a method for inducing atoms to
relinquish their heat energy to laser light and thus reach lower and lower temperatures.
When their temperature sinks very close to absolute zero, atoms form aggregates (make
clumps) in a way that reveals some of the innermost aspects of nature. And that is the
important application of laser cooling, namely to make us understand more of nature.
Very soon after the discovery other scientists started to use the technique to further
develop closely related areas.
2000
Alferov and Kroemer were given the prize for their development within the field of
semiconductor physics, where they had studied the type of substances that was first used
to build semiconductor lasers, that is, the kind of miniature lasers that today have become
the cheapest, lightest and smallest. The idea is to produce both the light source and energy
supply and place the mirrors in one crystal (less than 1 mm facet, with many sequences).
This has become not only the basis for many cheap and portable appliances, but also the
foundation in optical information networks.
The CD player, laser writer, laser pointer and the bar code reader the cashier at the
supermarket uses, are all based on their discovery.
REFRENCES
*http://www.nobel.org