UNIT 2

LASER AND APPLICATIONS

Lecture 13
Semiconductor Laser
and applications

Dr. S.P. Sharma, Associate Professor

Department of Physics, DRD
Lovely Professional University Phagwara-144411
Unit II Lasers and applications
• Fundamentals of laser
• Energy levels in atoms
• Radiation matter interaction
• Absorption of light
• Spontaneous emission of light
• Stimulated emission of light
• Population of energy levels
• Einstein A and B coefficients
• Metastable state
• Population inversion
• Lasing action
• Properties of laser
• Resonant cavity
• Excitation mechanisms
• Nd-YAG, He-Ne Laser, Semiconductor laser
• Applications of laser in engineering
• Holography
Semiconductor Laser: Introduction
1. Robert N. Hall, was an American engineer working at the General Electric
Research Laboratory, 1960

2. Nick Holonyak Jr. was an American engineer and educator, Illinois University.
He is noted particularly for his 1962 invention and first demonstration of a
semiconductor laser diode that emitted visible light.
Semiconductor Laser: Construction
P-n junction diode
P-n junction biasing
P-n junction I-V Characteristics
Difference between Solid State & Semiconductor Laser

• It has remarkably small size,

• exhibits high efficiency and
• can be operated at low
temperature.
Semiconductor Laser Characteristics
1. Type: It is a solid state semiconductor laser.

2. Active medium: A PN junction diode made from single crystal of gallium

arsenide is used as an active medium.

3. Pumping method: The direct conversion method is used for pumping action

4. Power output: The power output from this laser is 1mW.

5. Nature of output: The nature of output is continuous wave or pulsed output.

6. Wavelength of Output: gallium arsenide laser gives infrared radiation in

the wavelength 8300 to 8500Å.
Advantages of semiconductor laser
1. It is very small in dimension. The arrangement is simple and compact.

2. It exhibits high efficiency (50-70%).

3. The laser output can be easily increased by controlling the junction current
and decreasing the junction thickness.

4. It is operated with lesser power than ruby and CO2 laser.

5. It requires very little auxiliary equipment

6. It can have a continuous wave output or pulsed output.

Limitations and disadvantages of semiconductor laser

1. It is difficult to control the mode pattern and mode structure of laser.

2. The output is usually from 5 degree to 15 degree i.e., laser beam has large divergence.

3. The purity and monochromacy are lower than other types of laser

4. Threshold current density is very large (400A/mm2).

5. It has poor coherence and poor stability.

Applications of semiconductor laser

1. It is widely used in fiber optic communication

2. It is used to heal the wounds by infrared radiation
3. It is also used as a pain killer
4. It is used in laser printers and CD writing and reading.
5. Skin cancer treatment.
6. Sensing application such as smoke detector
7. Measure distances of roads and between cars, building height
8. Laser microscopes
Industrial applications of lasers
1. Cutting
2. Drilling
3. Joining
4. Welding
5. Cladding
Industrial, Engineering applications of lasers

1. Finishing
2. Heat treatment
3. Machining
4. Shaping
5. Texturing
Medical applications of lasers
1. Tooth drilling
2. Eye surgery
3. Cancer treatment
4. Kidney stone removal
Medical applications of lasers
1. Cancer treatment
2. Cardiovascular surgery
3. Microsurgery
4. Spinal surgery Advantages
Fast
5. Birthmark removal
Painless,
Bloodless
Advantages and disadvantage of different lasers
MCQs on semiconductor laser

Question 1
What principle do semiconductor lasers primarily operate on?
•A) Thermal emission
•B) Spontaneous emission
•C) Stimulated emission
•D) Photoelectric effect
Correct Answer: C) Stimulated emission
Explanation: Semiconductor lasers operate on the principle of
stimulated emission, where an incoming photon of a specific frequency
can stimulate an excited electron to drop to a lower energy level,
releasing a photon of the same frequency, phase, and direction as the
incoming photon.
MCQs on semiconductor laser
Question 2
Which material is commonly used in the construction of semiconductor
lasers?
•A) Silicon
•B) Gallium arsenide (GaAs)
•C) Lead (II) sulfide
•D) Copper (II) oxide

Correct Answer: B) Gallium arsenide (GaAs)

Explanation: Gallium arsenide (GaAs) is a common material used in the
construction of semiconductor lasers due to its direct bandgap property,
which allows efficient light emission.
MCQs on semiconductor laser

Question 3
What is the role of the p-n junction in a semiconductor laser?
•A) To reflect light
•B) To absorb photons
•C) To generate a magnetic field
•D) To provide a mechanism for electron-hole recombination
Correct Answer: D) To provide a mechanism for electron-hole
recombination
Explanation: The p-n junction in a semiconductor laser is crucial for
electron-hole recombination, where electrons from the n-type material
recombine with holes in the p-type material, leading to photon emission.
MCQs on semiconductor laser

Question 4
Which of the following is a key characteristic of laser light emitted from a
semiconductor laser?
•A) Incoherent and diffused
•B) Coherent and monochromatic
•C) Polychromatic and unfocused
•D) Infrared and invisible
Correct Answer: B) Coherent and monochromatic
Explanation: Semiconductor lasers emit light that is coherent (all light waves
are in phase with each other) and monochromatic (light of a single
wavelength), which are key characteristics of laser light.
MCQs on semiconductor laser

Question 5
In semiconductor lasers, what is the purpose of the optical cavity?
•A) To store excess electrons
•B) To increase the electrical resistance
•C) To amplify the light by feedback
•D) To cool down the semiconductor material
Correct Answer: C) To amplify the light by feedback
Explanation: The optical cavity in a semiconductor laser provides feedback by
reflecting photons back and forth through the gain medium (the area where
electron-hole recombination occurs), amplifying the light through stimulated
emission.
MCQs on semiconductor laser

Question 6
What is the threshold current in the context of semiconductor lasers?
•A) The maximum current the laser can handle before overheating
•B) The current at which the laser starts to emit visible light
•C) The minimum current required to achieve population inversion
•D) The current needed to switch the laser from off to on state
Correct Answer: C) The minimum current required to achieve population
inversion
Explanation: The threshold current is the minimum current needed for a
semiconductor laser to achieve population inversion, a condition where there
are more electrons in the excited state than in the lower energy state,
enabling stimulated emission and continuous laser operation.
MCQs on semiconductor laser

Question 7
Which of the following applications commonly uses semiconductor
lasers?
•A) Microwave ovens
•B) Optical fiber communication
•C) X-ray imaging
•D) Gasoline engine ignition
Correct Answer: B) Optical fiber communication
Explanation: Semiconductor lasers are widely used in optical fiber
communication due to their ability to produce coherent, monochromatic
light, which can be efficiently transmitted through optical fibers for long-
distance communication.