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Laser physics: from principles to practical work in the lab, by Marc Eichhorn:
Scope: monograph. Level: postgraduate

Article in Contemporary Physics · August 2016

DOI: 10.1080/00107514.2016.1221468

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 Laser Physics -From Principles to Practical Work in the Lab-

Marc Eichhorn

Springer, Heidelberg 2014

ISBN 978-3-319-05127-7

monograph

level: postgraduate

Lasers are an important tool in and outside of science, as well as an active topic of research even
more than half a century after their introduction. While the theoretical foundations have been laid
by Einstein and others about a century ago, the first working system was presented around 1960.
Since then, a multitude of different types of lasers for all kinds of applications have been brought
forward. The idea of a laser can be realized in so many ways that it is nearly impossible to give a
comprehensive overview. Correspondingly, the books that treat the topic are close to innumerable.
The present 'Laser Physics' is a volume in the Springer 'Graduate Texts in Physics' series. This series
'publishes core learning/teaching material for graduate‐ and advanced‐level undergraduate courses
on topics of current and emerging fields within physics, both pure and applied', which is also
reflected in the subtitle 'From Principles to Practical Work in the Lab'. The text aims at providing an
introduction to the physical principles and concepts of lasers with an emphasis on practical
implementation. To achieve this, the notation and the physical quantities under discussion are
correspondingly chosen. It is one intention to close the gap between experimental observables and
the theoretical description of lasers. The first three chapters treat the quantum-mechanical
fundamentals of lasers (Einstein relations, spontaneous and stimulated emission), the laser principle
(population inversion and feedback in two-, three- and four-level systems, rate equations) and
optical resonators (resonator geometries, their stability criteria, mode structures and linewidths).
This discussion fills the first half of the book. It uses modern notation and presents the main results
without lengthy derivations or unnecessarily complicated mathematical formalism. The forth chapter
is devoted to the generation of short and ultra-short laser pulses, a fairly recent topic in laser physics,
mainly motivated for reasons of temporal resolution of fast processes in molecular and atomic
physics. It summarizes the principles and techniques of Q-switching, mode locking and pulse
compression. The fifth and final chapter gives examples of lasers and their applications, it discusses
the Helium-Neon laser as an example of a gas laser, solid state lasers by their examples of Nd3+, Tm3+
and Ti:Al2O3 lasers, and special geometries like the fiber laser and the thin-disk laser. Like all
chapters, it uses black and white figures for illustration and end-of-chapter references to books and
other scientific publications. This book is a 'graduate text' but not a textbook, so there are no
problems and solutions. It originates from a laser physics lecture that has been given for a number of
years, and that intends to be lab-oriented for university-level students of physics, chemistry and
mathematics. While the title suggests a comprehensive treatment of laser physics, the discussion is
focused on selected topics with regard to laboratory applications. The scope of the book is also
reflected in the breadth of 170 pages. The designated audience are post-bachelor students who want
to understand, intend to use, and possibly work on modern laser systems, and the book should be
beneficial in this regard.

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