LASER Basics and Properties

https://www.youtube.
com/c/EngineeringPhysicsbySanjiv LASERs
https://youtu.be/wOyVaF-DG4A
Module 2a - LASERs
Session 1 : Spontaneous emission, Stimulated emission, Light Amplification
Pre-requisites
LASER is Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Laser as a light source Non-laser light source

1) Quantum mechanical electronic 1) Emission of light is a result of
device which produces intense, spontaneous emission of photons by
monochromatic and coherent beam thermally excited solids (filament lamps
of light as a result of stimulated or electronically excited atoms, ions or
emission. molecules (fluorescent lamps).
2) Light is emitted in one direction. 2) Light spreads in all directions.
3) Light is coherent. 3) Light is not coherent.
4) Light is highly intense. 4) Intensity is comparatively less.
5) Light is monochromatic. 5) Light may not be monochromatic.
Laser beam is used as a high power electromagnetic beam in Engineering and Biological
applications.
Basic Properties of LASER
1. Directionality : Lasers emit light in one direction.

2. Divergence : Angular spread for laser is very small.
3. Coherence : Light waves emerging from laser maintain common phase
relationship.
4. Intensity : Laser beam is very narrow and hence its intensity is very high
5. Monochromaticity : Laser beam is characterized by only one wavelength.
How LASERs are different compared to X-rays?
LASERs X-rays
1) LASERs are electromagnetic waves 1) X-rays are electromagnetic waves
having wavelength of the order of few having wavelength of few
thousand angstroms. angstroms.
2) LASERs are highly coherent. 2) X-rays are not highly coherent.
3) LASERs are obtained due to phenomenon 3) X-rays are given out when high
called stimulated emission of radiation. speed electrons strike the target of
high atomic number and melting
point
Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 1 of 7

https://www.youtube.com/c/EngineeringPhysicsbySanjiv LASERs
Interaction of light with matter -
About Light :
 Light consists of discrete bundles or chunks (quantum) of energy. Energy of each bundle
is “h”. - Max Planck
 Albert Einstein provided theoretical justification to this and introduced name photon to
this quantum of light energy.
 Photon represents minimum energy unit of light.
 Each photon carries energy „h‟ where „‟ is frequency of light wave.
 Light energy cannot have arbitrary values but must be multiple of „h‟.
About Matter :
 Electrons in an atom cannot have arbitrary amount of energy, but they take only discrete
energies. – Bohr.
 Electrons in an atom can have only discrete energy levels which are schematically
represented by horizontal lines drawn to the energy scale –
Nucleus
n=5
n=4
n=3
Energy
n=2
n=1
n=2
Ground State
n=3 n=1
n=4
n=5
Energies of electrons
Ground State of an atom :
 The lowest stable state of the atom.
 Electrons move in their respective orbits without emitting energy.
Excited State of an atom :

 If electrons get sufficient energy, they jump to the higher energy level and the atom is
said to be excited state.
Quantum Transition :
 Passing of an atom from one energy state to the other state.
 Whenever quantum transition occurs between energy states E1 and E2, energy E2 ~ E1 =
h is absorbed or released as a radiation.

ABSORPTION
 Consider an atom residing in the energy level E1.

 Let E2 be the allowed energy level of this atom.
 When a photon of energy h = E2 – E1 is incident on this atom, electrons in atom absorb
this energy and the atom is excited to the energy level E2.
 This process is called Absorption.
E2 E2 E2
h= E2- E1
E1 E1 E1
Before Transition During Transition After Transition
Absorption
SPONTANEOUS EMISSION :
 Excited atom can stay at the excited level for a limited time known as
(life-time of that state).
 After the life-time of the state gets over, the atom is de-excited and come back to the
lower energy level.
 During the transition, Excess energy is given in the form of photon of
energy h = E2 – E1.
 This process is called Spontaneous Emission of Radiation.
 It is independent of outside circumstances.
 It is probabilistic in nature.
 Light spreads in all directions around the source.
 Light intensity decreases rapidly with distance from the source.
 Light is incoherent.
E2 E2 E2
h= E2- E1
E1 E1 E1
Spontaneous Emission

STIMULATED EMISSION
 If a photon can stimulate an atom to move from a lower energy state E1 to the higher
energy state E2 by means of absorption, then a photon should also be able to stimulate an
atom from the higher energy level E2 to the lower energy level E1 – Albert Einstein.
 Consider an atom in the excited energy level E2.
 External photon having energy h = E2 – E1 incident on this system, stimulates this atom
to jump back to lower energy level E1 before its life time gets over.
 During this transition, atom emits a photon with same energy as the energy of incident
photon. This is called as stimulated emission.
E2 E2 E2
h= E2- E1 h= E2- E1

E1 E1 E1
Stimulated Emission
Features of Stimulated Emission :
1. This process can be controlled from out side.

2. The emitted photon propagates in the same direction as that of the stimulating photon.
3. Emitted photon has same frequency, phase and plane of polarization as that of the
incident photon. Light produced is monochromatic and coherent.
4. Light amplification :
A
h
A
h A
h
A
h A
A h
h A
h
20 21 22 23 2N
Fig. 4.5 Light Amplification
5. High Intensity : Intensity of resultant light is proportional to the square of the umber
of atoms emitting that light.

POPULATION INVERSION
Let N1 = Number of atoms in the lower energy level.

N2 = Number of atoms in the higher energy level.
 In Normal equilibrium, the lower energy level is more densely populated than the higher
energy level. (N1 >> N2)
 Stimulated emission to be effective for light amplification, it should be dominant over the
process of absorption.
 This is achieved by adjusting N2 >> N1
 Getting more number of atoms in higher energy level than lower energy level (N2 >> N1)
is called Population Inversion.
PUMPING
 To achieve population inversion, atoms must be continuously promoted from lower

energy level to the higher energy level.
 The process by which atoms are raised from the lower energy level to the higher energy
level is called Pumping.
Pumping Methods :
1. Optical Pumping :
 Light energy is used for pumping.
 Photons are made incident on the active medium.
 E.g. Flash discharge tubes, continuously operating lamps, Spark gaps.
2. Electrical Pumping :
 Electric current is passed through the active medium.
 Electrons collide with atoms and excite them to higher energy states.
 Used in gas lasers.
3. Direct Conversion :
 Electrical energy is directly converted into light energy.
 Electrical current is passed through active medium but atoms are not excited to
higher states.
 The current carriers themselves are excited to higher states to achieve
population inversion. E.g. Semiconductor Laser.

Active Medium :
It is the medium, when excited, reaches the state of population inversion and eventually
causes Light Amplification.
Metastable State :
 Excited states of atom have short life time ( 10 – 9 sec.)
 Atoms do not stay at such excited state and fall down due to spontaneous emission after
the life-time gets over.
 Hence population inversion cannot be achieved.
 To achieve population inversion, life-time of the excited state must be higher ( 10 – 3
sec.), so that number of atoms can gather at that state.
 Such excited states are called as Metastable States.
 If the metastable state does not exist, there could be no population inversion and hence,
no stimulated emission and hence no laser operation.
Role of resonant cavity :
 To produce LASER beam, we must collimate the stimulated emission by properly
designing a resonant cavity in which, the light waves can be used over again and again
for amplification. Resonant cavity is made up of one fully reflecting mirror and one
partially reflecting mirror.
 Resonant cavity is useful for enhancing the light amplification.
 Resonant cavity is used to get a laser beam in one direction.
Laser Beam
Partially reflecting
Fully reflecting Mirror
Mirror
Resonant Cavity

N3
E3
h E2 N2 Metastable State
Stimulated
h Emission
E1 N1 N2 > N1
Three level laser System
E4 N4
E3 N3 Metastable State
h Stimulated
h Emission
E2 N2 N3 > N2
E1 N1
Four level system

LASER Basics and Properties

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

LASER Basics and Properties

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

https://www.youtube.

LASER is Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

Laser as a light source Non-laser light source

Basic Properties of LASER

1. Directionality : Lasers emit light in one direction.

How LASERs are different compared to X-rays?

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 1 of 7

Excited State of an atom :

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 2 of 7

 Consider an atom residing in the energy level E1.

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 3 of 7

h= E2- E1 h= E2- E1

Features of Stimulated Emission :

1. This process can be controlled from out side.

Fig. 4.5 Light Amplification

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 4 of 7

Let N1 = Number of atoms in the lower energy level.

 To achieve population inversion, atoms must be continuously promoted from lower

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 5 of 7

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 6 of 7

h E2 N2 Metastable State

Three level laser System

Four level system

Prepared by Sanjiv Badhe Page 7 of 7

You might also like