LASERS

UNIT 4
LASERS
• Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiations
Characteristics of Laser
• High directionality
Characteristics of Laser
• High intensity
Characteristics of Laser
• Monochromaticity
Characteristics of Laser
• High coherence
INTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH MATTER
INTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH MATTER
INTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH MATTER
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPONTANEOUS AND
STIMULATED EMISSION
Spontaneous Emission
• It is a natural transition in which
an atom is de-excited after the
end of its lifetime in higher state
• Photon can be emitted in any
direction
• Probability of spontaneous
emission depends only on the
properties of the two energy
levels between which transition
occurs
Stimulated Emission
• It is an induced transition in
which an atom is de-excited with
the help of an external photon
• Photon is emitted in the
direction of the incident photon
• Depends on properties of energy
levels as well as the energy
density of the incident radiation
Relation between Einstein’s Coefficients
Relation between Einstein’s Coefficients
Relation between Einstein’s Coefficients
Requirement for LASER action
• For laser, stimulated emission has to dominate over absorption and
spontaneous emission.
Requirement for LASER action
Thus, it is required that:
1. The energy density u(v) should be large – large number of photons
are required. This can be achieved by enclosing the emitted
radiations in a cavity between two reflectors. The repeated motion
of radiation between the reflectors creates large radiation density.
2. Large ratio of B21 and A21: lifetime of upper state must be large.
Achieved by choosing the upper level as a metastable state.
3. Making N2>N1: this is population inversion. Achieved by pumping.
Metastable state
• A state which is more stable than a normal excited state.
• Lifetime is more than 10-8 s, of the order of 10-4 to 10-6 s.
Population inversion
Pumping
• Optical pumping
• Electrical discharge
• Inelastic collision
• Direction conversion
• Chemical reactions
Principle of laser
• Pumping to higher level
• Rapid transition to metastable state by spontaneous transition
• Population inversion is achieved
• Induced emission, which is further used to create an avalanche
Main component of a laser
Modes of cavity
Gain and threshold condition
Gain and threshold condition
Three level scheme
Four level scheme
Types of laser
• Categorized based on:
• Active medium
• Number of energy levels
• Characteristic of radiation emitted
• Excitation mechanism used
• Spectral range
He-Ne laser (gas laser, 4 level system) –
Construction
• Discharge tube made of quartz of length 0.5 metre and diameter 1.5
centimetre
• Tube is filled with mixture of helium and neon at 10:1 ratio. The
pressure is kept at 1 mm of Hg for helium and 0.1 mm of Hg for neon
• Tube connected to high voltage DC supply through electrodes. End of
tubes are sealed with Brewster windows
• Two optically curved mirrors M1 and M2, one fully silvered and one
partially, to make it a resonant cavity.
• Distance between mirrors is adjusted to produce standing wave
pattern
He-Ne laser -diagram
He-Ne laser -working
• When a voltage is applied across the electrodes, the electric field
ionizes some of the atoms. Electrons and ions are accelerated by the
field towards the anode and the cathode.
• Since electrons have smaller mass, they acquire higher velocities.
Helium atoms being lighter and more abundant are excited more
easily than Ne by the electron impact. He excites to levels 21S and 23S
which are metastable states.
E1 + He ⟶ E2 + He*
Where E1 and E2 are energies of the electrons before and after collision.
He-Ne laser –energy level diagram
He-Ne laser -working
• Excited He atoms transfer their energy to the Ne atoms through
collision. Such transfer is possible because the levels 4s and 5s of Ne
is at the same level as He.
He* + Ne ⟶ He + Ne*
• 4s and 5s are also metastable.
From here three laser transitions are possible:
1. 5s ⟶ 3p, generates laser beam of red color (632.8 nm)
2. 4s ⟶ 3p, generates laser beam in IR range (1150 nm)
3. 5s ⟶ 4p, generates laser beam in far IR range (3391.2 nm)
Ruby Laser (solid state, 3-level laser)
• Al2O3 crystal with some Al3+ ions replaced by Cr3+ ions. Cr3+ ions
concentration is 0.05 weight %. In this laser, Cr3+ ions are the active
components.
• Ruby laser is a cylindrical rod of 5-10 cm length and 5 mm diameter.
One end is fully polished and other end is partially reflecting. The
ends themselves act as the resonant cavity.
• A xenon flash lamp is used for the optical pumping.
• Liquid N2 is used for colling the system
Ruby Laser (diagram)
Ruby Laser (working)
• Energy levels of Cr are responsible for the lasing action.
• Consists of 3 energy levels E1, E2, and E3
• E3 consists of 2 bands – 4F1 and 4F2 and have very small lifetime (10-9
sec).
• E2 is metastable state (10-3 sec). E3 ⟶ E2 is spontaneous, non-
radiative transition.
• E2 ⟶ E1 is radiative transition. Lasing with 694.3 nm wavelength
Ruby Laser (energy level diagram)
Ruby Laser (working)
• The flash lamp excites the Cr atoms to F levels. The electrons make a
rapid transition to the metastable state.
• Due to longer lifetime of Cr, population inversion is achieved.
Between E2 and E1.
• Ruby laser is a pulsed laser because E2 depopulates at a faster rate
than the pumping.
Semiconductor lasers
• Uses a semiconductor as the active medium
• Examples include: GaAs, InP, InAs, InSb, PbSe, PbS.

• Main features:
• Very small size (300 mm * 10 mm * 50 μm), due to which they can be easily
incorporated in devices
• Require very less power for pumping
• High efficiency of converting electric power to laser light
• Ease of fabrication with the existing semiconductor based technology
Optical properties of semiconductor
• In free atoms, there are discrete energy levels, but when the atoms
form a solid, due to the interaction between many atoms, energy
level bands are formed. There is valance band and conduction band,
separated by forbidden energy band gap, Eg.
• The size of the band gap determines the wavelength of the laser
• If a semiconductor is illuminated with light, the photons having E>=
Eg will excite the electrons to the conduction band, and after some
time, the electrons will get de-excited back to the valance band,
resulting into emission of a photon of E=Eg.
Optical properties of semiconductor
• Doping a semiconductor alters the electronic properties of the
semiconductor.
• For laser, heavy doping is used, such that EF lies within the CB and VB.
Intrinsic Extrinsic
n p
EC EC EC
EF
EF
EF
EV EV EV
Semiconductor laser- Principle
• A p-type and n-type semiconductor is joined together to make a p/n-
junction.
• This is used to create the desired population inversion.
• If a forward bias is applied to the p/n junction, the electrons will flow
to the p-side and holes to the n-side, giving rise to recombination at
the junction region.
• If the junction region can be made resonant,
laser action can be achieved.
Semiconductor laser- Construction

• A p/n junction diode is

used in which the
depletion region is very
thin of the order of 0.1
micrometer.
• Two faces of the
semiconductor are
polished to make the
optical cavity.
• Rest of the faces are rough
surfaces to eliminate
unwanted radiations.
Semiconductor laser- working
• Forward bias is applied which lowers the built-in potential across the
p/n junction, as a result, the electrons and holes recombine and emit
photons.
• However, these spontaneously emitted photons are not sufficient to
result into coherent laser light
• As a result, the photons are confined into the optical cavity to
stimulate the excited electrons to recombine with holes even before
their recombination time.
 N2 N1
N2 N1
Applications of laser
• Medicine
• Industry
• Environment
• Communication
Applications of laser - medical
• for surgeries such as cataract.
• For diagnosis such as endoscopy- optical fiber is used to image the
internal organs through which laser light is passed
• Dermatology
Applications of laser - industry
• Cutting through fibre, metals, and other materials
• Melting for welding purpose
• For fibroscope – examining welds, defects, hard to reach places
• Used in many devices such as laser pointers, cd/dvd readers, optical
readers, printers, research instruments
Applications of laser - environment
• Used for the detection of concentration of gases in the environment
• Monitor and tackle oil spills
• Composition of soil, etc
Applications of laser - communication
• Through optical fibre – telephonic lines
• Transmission of signals for television industry
• Computer networking – fibre internet