A.

TITUS SAMUEL SUDANDARARAJ

Physicist,
East Tambaram, Chennai.
2
THE LASER
Light
Amplification by
Stimulated
Emission of
Radiation

LASER
A laser is an amplifier of light.
When the laser is suitably excited by optical or electrical
energy, the light of the proper frequency entering the
laser cavity is amplified in such a manner that laser
output wave is in phase with input.
Practical utility of a laser is as an OSCILLATOR -- a
generator of light. Thus laser is also known as
GENERATOR of light.
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LASER ACTION
Laser action is based on amplification of EM waves
by means of forced or induced atoms or molecules.
A laser radiation uses three fundamental phenomena
when EM waves interacts with the matter namely

Interaction
Spontaneous
emission
Stimulated
emission
Stimulated
absorption
Excited atoms emit photons
spontaneously.
When an atom in an excited state falls to a
lower energy level, it emits a photon of light.
Molecules typically remain excited for no longer than a few
nanoseconds. This is often also called fluorescence or, when it takes
longer, phosphorescence.
E
n
e
r
g
y

Ground level
Excited level
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Atoms and molecules can also absorb photons,
making a transition from a lower level to a
more excited one.
This is, of
course,
absorption.
E
n
e
r
g
y

Ground level
Excited level
Absorption lines in an
otherwise continuous
light spectrum due to a
cold atomic gas in front
of a hot source.
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Stimulated absorption
Let us consider two energy
level having energy E1 &
E2 resp.
The atom will remain in
ground state unless some
external stimulant is applied
to it.
When an EM wave i.e
photon of particular freq fall
on it , there is finite
probability that atom will
jump form energy state E1
to E2.
photon
E1
E2
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Spontaneous emission
Consider an atom in higher
state (E2).
It can decay to lower energy
level by emitting photon.
Emitted photon have energy
hv=E2-E1.
Life time of excited state is
10
-9
sec.

Photon
hv=E2-E1
E2
E1
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Stimulated emission
There are metastable state
i.e. transition from this state
is not allowed acc to
selection rule.
There life time is 10
-3
sec.
Atom in this state cant
jump to lower state at there
own.
When an photon of suitable
freq arrive it make the atom
in metastable unstable.
The emitted photon is in
coherence with incident
photon.


Incident photon
Emitted
Photon
coherent
Metastable state(10
-3
sec)
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Stimulated Emission
The stimulated photons have unique
properties:

In phase with the incident
photon

Same wavelength as the
incident photon

Travel in same direction as
incident photon
Stimulated vs Spontaneous Emission

Stimulated emission requires the presence of a photon. An
incoming photon stimulates a molecule in an excited state to
decay to the ground state by emitting a photon. The
stimulated photons travel in the same direction as the
incoming photon.

Spontaneous emission does not require the presence of a
photon.
Instead a molecule in the excited state can relax to the
ground state by spontaneously emitting a photon.
Spontaneously emitted photons are emitted in all directions.

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In 1916, Einstein showed that another
process, stimulated emission, can occur.
Before After
Absorption
Stimulated
emission
Spontaneous
emission
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The processes that account for absorption and emission of
radiation and the attainment of thermal equilibrium. The
excited state can return to the lower state spontaneously as
well as by a process stimulated by radiation already present
at the transition frequency.
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EINSTEINS THEORY OF
RADIATIONS
Incident
photon
Stimulated
emission
Spontaneous emission
E
2
E
1
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EINSTEINS THEORY OF
RADIATIONS
R
a
=rate of stimulated absorption per unit
volume
It depends upon:
1.N
1
: no. of atom in ground state.
2.(): energy density per unit freq of
incident wave.
1 12
( )
a
R N B v =
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EINSTEINS THEORY OF
RADIATIONS
R
sp
=rate of spantaneous emission per unit
volume.
It depends upon:
1.N
2
: no. of atom in excited state.
2 21 sp
R N A =
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EINSTEINS THEORY OF
RADIATIONS
R
st
= rate of stimulated emission per unit volume
It depends upon:
1.N
2
: no. of atom in exicited state.
2.(v): energy density per unit freq of incident
wave.

2 21
( )
st
R N B v =
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Einsteins Coefficient
a
1 12 2 21 2 21
1 12 2 21 2 21
1 12 2 21
2 21
1 12 2 21
2 21
1 12
2 21
2
2
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21
N
R =Rsp+Rst
N () B =N A +N () B
N () B -N () B =N A
() (
A
()=
N B -N B
N A
()=
N B
-1
N B
N B -N B )=N A
N B
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
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Einsteins Coefficient
2 1
1
2
1
2
i
E
kT
i o
E E
kT
h
kT
N N e
N
e
N
N
e
N
v

| |
|
\ .

| |
|
\ .
| |
|
\ .
=
=
=
From Boltzmanns Distribution law
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Einsteins Coefficient
Therefore

21 21
12
21
A /
()=
B
-1
B
h
kT
B
e
v
| |
|
\ .
| |
|
|
|
|
|
\ .
From Plancks black body radiation, the radiation
density is
3
3
21
12
3
21
3
21
8 1
()=
-1
,
1
8
h
kT
h
c
e
oncomparing
B
B
A h
B c
v
t v
t v
| |
|
\ .
| |
|
|
|
\ .
=
=
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Properties of Laser
Monochromatic
The light emitted from a laser is
monochromatic, that is, it is of one wavelength
(color). In contrast, ordinary white light is a
combination of many different wavelengths
(colors).



Properties of Laser
Directional:
Lasers emit light that is highly
directional. Laser light is emitted
as a relatively narrow beam in a
specific direction. Ordinary light,
such as coming from the sun, a
light bulb, or a candle, is emitted
in many directions away from the
source.

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Properties of Laser
Coherent
The light from a
laser is said to be
coherent, which
means the
wavelengths of the
laser light are in
phase in space and
time.

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Population Inversion
A state in which a substance has been energized, or
excited to specific energy levels.
More atoms or molecules are in a higher excited state.


Population Inversion
The process of producing a population
inversion is called pumping.
Examples:
by lamps of appropriate intensity
by electrical discharge

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Achieving inversion:
Pumping the laser medium
Now let I be the intensity of (flash lamp) light used to pump energy
into the laser medium:
R = 100% R < 100%
I
0
I
1
I
2
I
3
Laser medium
I
Will this intensity be sufficient to achieve inversion, N
2
> N
1
?
Itll depend on the laser mediums energy level system.
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In what energy levels do molecules reside?
Boltzmann population factors
N
i
is the
number
density of
molecules in
state i (i.e.,
the number
of molecules
per cm
3
).

T is the
temperature,
and k
B
is
Boltzmanns
constant.
| |
exp /
i i B
N E k T
E
n
e
r
g
y

Population density
N
1

N
3

N
2

E
3

E
1

E
2

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Boltzmann Population Factors
In the absence of collisions,
molecules tend to remain
in the lowest energy state
available.
Collisions can knock a mole-
cule into a higher-energy state.
The higher the temperature,
the more this happens.
| |
| |
2
2
1 1
exp /
exp /
B
B
E k T
N
N E k T

Low T High T
E
n
e
r
g
y

Molecules
E
n
e
r
g
y

Molecules
3
2
1
2
1
3
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In equilibrium, the ratio of the populations of two states is:
N
2
/ N
1
= exp(AE/k
B
T ), where AE = E
2
E
1
= hv

As a result, higher-energy states are always less populated
than the ground state, and absorption is stronger than
stimulated emission.
Boltzmann Population Factors
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Components of LASER
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Pump Source
A pump is basic energy source for a laser. It gives energy to
various atoms of laser medium & excites them . So that
population inversion can take place & it is maintained with
time. The excitation of atom occur directly or through atom or
atom collision.
There is various type of pump depending upon nature of
medium .Examples: electric discharges, flashlamps, arc lamps
and chemical reactions.
The type of pump source used depends on the gain medium.
A helium-neon (HeNe) laser uses an electrical discharge in
the helium-neon gas mixture.
Excimer lasers use a chemical reaction.

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Gain Medium
When energy is given to laser medium a small
fraction of medium shows lasing action. This part of
laser medium is called Active centers.
For examples in ruby laser Cr
+++
is active center, in
He-Ne laser Ne are active centers.
It is the Major determining factor of the wavelength
of operation of the laser.

Excited by the pump source to produce a
population inversion.
Where spontaneous and stimulated emission of
photons takes place.
Example:
solid, liquid, gas and semiconductor.

Optical Resonator
It is an set up used to obtain amplification of
stimulated photons, by oscillating them back &
forth between two extreme limits. Consist of:
1.Two plane or concave mirrors placed co-axially.
2.One mirror is reflecting & other is partially
reflecting.

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Optical Resonator
Two parallel mirrors placed around the gain
medium.
Light is reflected by the mirrors back into the
medium and is amplified .
The design and alignment of the mirrors with
respect to the medium is crucial.
Spinning mirrors, modulators, filters and
absorbers may be added to produce a variety of
effects on the laser output.

Stimulated emission can lead to a
chain reaction and laser emission.
Excited medium
If a medium has many excited molecules, one photon can become
many.
This is the essence of the laser. The factor by which an input beam is
amplified by a medium is called the gain and is represented by G.
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e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
t

p
u
m
p
i
n
g

s
l
o
w

r
e
l
a
x
a
t
i
o
n

Metastable state
fast
slow
Population
inversion
Fast relaxation
Requirements for Laser Action
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Four-level Laser System

Laser transition takes
place between the
third and second
excited states.

Rapid depopulation of
the lower laser level.
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FOUR LEVEL LASER:
STEP 1- PUMPING: atoms are excited to
higher energy level by providing energy
from ext. source.
STEP 2- POPULATION INVERSION:
atom via radiation less decay, decays to
metastable state and hence population
inversion take place.
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FOUR LEVEL LASER:
STEP 3- LASER ACTION: atom from
metastable state decays to lower state by
stimulated emission and hence laser
action take place.
STEP 4- BACK TO GROUND STATE:
atom from excited state decays to lower
state by spontaneous emission.
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FOUR LEVEL LASER:
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Three-level Laser System
Initially excited to a
short-lived high-energy
state .
Then quickly decay to
the intermediate
metastable level.
Population inversion is
created between lower
ground state and a
higher-energy
metastable state.
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Three-level Laser System
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Two-level Laser System
Unimaginable
as absorption and stimulated processes
neutralize one another.

The material becomes transparent.
Two-Level System
E
n
, N
n

E
m
, N
m

E
n
, N
n

E
m
, N
m

Even with very a intense pump source, the best one can achieve with a two-
level system is
excited state population = ground state population
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Usually, additional losses in intensity occur, such as absorption, scattering,
and reflections. In general, the laser will lase if, in a round trip:

Gain > Loss This called achieving Threshold.
The Laser
A laser is a medium that stores energy, surrounded by two mirrors.
A partially reflecting output mirror lets some light out.
A laser will lase if the beam increases in intensity during a round trip:
that is, if
3 0
I I >
R = 100% R < 100%
I
0
I
1
I
2
I
3
Laser medium
with gain, G
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