LASER

Balendra Pratap Singh

December 7, 2022
LASER : Light Amplification Stimulated Emission of
Radiation
There are three basic action for LASER
1. Absorption:An atom can be get excited by absorbing radiation
from external agent.
2. Spontaneous Emission: After absorbing the atom emit
radiation spontaneously which is called spontaneous emission.
3. Stimulated Emission: When an excited atom absorb radiation
it emit double amount radiation which is called the stimulated
emission.
1. Absorption
If a photon of frequency ν = (E2 − E1 )/h is incident on atom, the
atom will be excited to higher state. This is called absorption.
Absorption is always induced or stimulated.
Rate of absorption(No. of absorption per unit time) = B12 N1u(ν)
where
B12 : Einstein Coefficient
N1 : no. of atoms in state one.
u(ν) : Energy density
2. Spontaneous Emission
After absorption the atom immediately (10−8 sec) it comes back to
its original state by emitting of radiation hν, this phenomenon we
call spontaneous emission. The spontaneous emission is
uncontrolled so the emitted light is incoherent.
Rate of spontaneous emission = A21 N2
where
A21 is Einstein coefficient.
N2 is the number of atoms in state two.
3.Stimulate Emission
▶ When an excited atom forcefully hit by another quantum
photon then the excited atom dexcite by emitting of multiple
radiation, this phenomenon is called the stimulated emission.
▶ The emitted radiations are coherent in nature.
▶ Rate of stimulated emission = B21 N2u(ν)
where
B21 : Einstein Coefficient
N2 : no. of atoms in state two.
u(ν) : Energy density
Lasing Action
1. Population Inversion:
▶ The population of the upper energy level N2 far exceeds the
population of the lower energy level.
▶ If the number of atoms in excited state= N2 and ground state
N1 so
N2 >> N1
but N1 + N2 = N (fixed)

N
N2 = : Threshhold condition of population inversion.
2
▶ We can not achieve lasing action in a two level laser because
in two level lase, emission and absorption rates are equal.
2. Meatstable State
▶ Metastable state is an excited state of atoms where atoms
remains excited for an appreciable time, which is of the order
of 10−6 to 10−3 sec.
▶ The metastable state allows accumulation of a large number
of excited atoms at that level.
▶ There could be no population inversion and hence no laser
action, if metastable states do not exist.
3. Pumping
Pumping is the process of supplying energy to maintain the
condition of population inversion. The most common methods of
pumping are optical pumping and electrical pumping.
▶ Optical Pumping: Optical pumping uses photons to excite the
atoms. A light source such as flash discharged tube is used to
illuminate the laser medium and the photons of appropriate
frequency excite the atoms to an upper energy level.
▶ Electrical Pumping: Electrical pumping can be used only in
case of laser materials that can conduct electricity without
destroying lasing activity. We use this method in gas lasers.
 Ruby Laser

1. Construction
▶ Ruby Laser is a solid state laser.
▶ Ruby laser is not a tunable laser (fixed wavelength)
▶ It consist of single crystal of a pink ruby (Al2 O3 ) doped with
0.05 per cent Cr 3+ ions.
▶ Its in the form of crystal rod whose opposite ends are fully
silvered and partially silvered.
▶ The Ruby rod is surrounded by helical xenon flash tube which
provides the pumping light to raise the chromium ions to
upper energy level.
Figure: Ruby Laser
2. Working
▶ Ruby Laser is a three level laser.
▶ When the ruby rod is irradiated by a flash of light, the 5500 A
radiation photons absorbed by the chromium ions which are
pumped to the excited state E3 .
▶ The excited ions decay radiationlessly to the metastable state
E2 .
▶ The atom comes to the ground state through stimulated
emission and emit radiation of wavelength 6943 A.
Figure: Lasing Action of Ruby Laser
 He-Ne Laser

1. Construction
▶ He-Ne is a gas laser.
▶ He-Ne laser is not a tunable laser (fixed wavelength).
▶ Helium-Neon laser consists of discharge (quartz) tube
containing He and Ne in the ratio of 10:1 at a pressure of 1
torr.
▶ At one end of the tube, there is a partial reflector while on the
another end there is a partial reflector.
▶ A powerful radio-frequency generator is used to produce a
discharge in the gas so that the helium are excited or pumped
to the higher excited level.
Figure: Schematic Diagram of He-Ne Laser
2. Working
▶ When an electric discharge passes through the gas, the
electron in the discharge tube collide with the He atoms and
excite them to the excited state,
▶ The excited He atoms transfer their energy unexcited Ne
atoms by collision so the population inversion achieved by the
Ne atoms through collision.
▶ When an Ne atom comes down from metastable state to the
lower state then it emits a radiation of wavelength of 6328 A
through stimulated emission.
Figure: Lasing Action of He-Ne Laser
Einstein Coefficients and relation between them a. Einstein
Coefficients
(a.) The probability that an absorption transition occur is given by

P12 = B12 u(ν)

where B12 is the constant of proportionality known as the Einstein
coefficients for induced absorption.
(b.)The probability that a spontaneous transition occur is given by

(P21 )spont. = A21

where the constant A21 is the Einstein coefficient for spontaneous

emission. 1/A21 is the lifetime of the upper state against
spontaneous decay to the lower state.
(c.) The probability that a stimulated transition occur is given by

(P21 )stimu. = B21 u(ν)

where B21 is the constant of proportionality known as the Einstein

coefficient for stimulated emission.
Relation between Einstein coefficients
The number of atoms absorbing photons per second per unit
volume = The number of atoms emitting photons per second per
unit volume

B12 u(ν)N1 = A21 N2 + B21 u(ν)N2 (1)

 u(ν)[B12 N1 − B21 N2 ] = A21 N2 (2)
A21 N2
u(ν) = (3)
[B12 N1 − B21 N2 ]

by dividing both the numerator and denominator on the right hand

side of the above equation with B12 N2 , we obtain

A21 /B12
u(ν) = N1 B21
(4)
N2 − B12

we know
N2
= e −(E2 −E1 )/kT
N1
and E2 − E1 = hν so
N1
= e hν /kT
N2
so
 
A21 1
u(ν) = (5)
B12 e hν/kT −B21 /B12

To maintain thermal equilibrium, the system must release energy in

the form of electromagnetic radiation. It is required that the
radiation be identical with black body radiation and be consistent
with the Plank’s radiation law for any value of T . According to
Plank’s law
8πhν 3 µ3
  
1
u(ν) = (6)
c3 e hν/kT − 1

from equation (5) and (6)

A21 8πhν 3 µ3
= (7)
B12 c3
B21
= 1 (8)
B12
from equation (7) and (8) we can find the relation between the
Einstein coefficients
c3
B12 = B21 = A21 . (9)
8πhν 3 µ3
The above equation shows that the coefficients for both absorption
and stimulated emission are numerically equal.
 LASER APPLICATION
The most significant applications of lasers include:
1. Lasers in medicine
2. Lasers in communications
3. Lasers in industries
4. Lasers in science and technology
5. Lasers in military
1. Lasers in Medicine:
▶ Lasers are used for bloodless surgery.
▶ Lasers are used to destroy kidney stones.
▶ Lasers are used for eye lens curvature corrections.
▶ Lasers are used in fiber-optic endoscope to detect ulcers in the
intestines.
▶ The liver and lung diseases could be treated by using lasers.
▶ Lasers are used to create plasma.
▶ Lasers are used to remove tumors successfully.
2. Lasers in Communications:
▶ Laser light is used in optical fiber communications to send
information over large distances with low loss.
▶ Laser light is used in underwater communication networks.
▶ Lasers are used in space communication, radars and satellites.
3. Lasers in Industries:
▶ Lasers are used to cut glass and quartz.
▶ Lasers are used in electronic industries for trimming the
components of Integrated Circuits (ICs).
▶ Laser light is used to collect the information about the
prefixed prices of various products in shops and business
establishments from the bar code printed on the product.
▶ Ultraviolet lasers are used in the semiconductor industries for
photolithography (manufacturing printing circuit board).
4. Lasers in Science and Technology:
▶ A laser helps in studying the Brownian motion of particles.
▶ With the help of a laser, it is possible to count the number of
atoms in a substance.
▶ Lasers are used in computers to retrieve stored information
from a Compact Disc (CD).
▶ Lasers are used to store large amount of information or data
in CD-ROM.
▶ Lasers are used to measure the pollutant gases and other
contaminants of the atmosphere.
▶ Lasers helps in determining the rate of rotation of the earth
accurately.
▶ Lasers are used in computer printers.
▶ Lasers are used for producing three-dimensional pictures in
space without the use of lens.
▶ Lasers are used for detecting earthquakes.
5. Lasers in Military:
▶ Laser range finders are used to determine the distance to an
object.
▶ The ring laser gyroscope is used for sensing and measuring
very small angle of rotation of the moving objects.
▶ Lasers can be used as a secretive illuminators for
reconnaissance during night with high precision.
▶ Lasers are used to dispose the energy of a warhead by
damaging the missile.