-By Anand Sir

LASER
• The term LASER stand for Light Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation .
• It produces a light beam with some remarkable properties
• The light is Coherent : All the light waves exactly in same phase.
• The light is Monochromatic : All the light waves have the same
frequency or Wavelength .
• The light has Unidirectionality : The light produces sharp focus.
• The light beam is extremely Intense :The light has extreme
Brightness.
 ABSORPTION OR STIMULATED
ABSORPTION
• When a photon of energy is
incident on an atom, then atom
get excited i.e. moving from
lower energy level E1 to higher
energy level E2.
• The atom in the ground state
absorbs the energy of incident
photon & get excited to the
higher energy level . The process
is known as Stimulated
Absorption.
 SPONTANEOUS EMISSION
• After completion of life time, the
excited atom comes to the ground
energy state on its own emitting a
photon hʋ, this is known as
Spontaneous Emission.
• Depends on type of particle &
transition.
• Random in directions , Random in
phase.
• Mixture of quanta having different
wavelength, different phase &
radiation is incoherent with broad
spectrum.
 STIMULATED EMISSION
• When the atom is in excited state &
before coming to ground state is
triggered due to an action of
incident photon.
• The transition generate another
identical photon to the incident
photon (Same phase i.e.
coherent,Monochromatic,same
direction)
• The process of forced emission of
photons due to incident photon is
known as Stimulated emission.
 EXCITED STATE
• Normally the number of excited atoms in the system are less than
non excited atoms.
• The atoms prefer ground state for longer time.
• Atoms remains in excited state for a limited time called Life time
.(Life time of Hydrogen is 10-8 sec.)
• An excited state in which life time is greater than 10-8 sec, this
state is called as Metastable excited state.
• The relaxation time for metastable state is 10-6 to 10-3 seconds.
This plays an important role in LASER.
• An excited state in which life time is very very small 10-8 sec, this
state is called as Ordinary excited state.
 POPULATION INVERSION
• Population means number of active
atoms in an energy state..
• Normally population of lower energy
level is high and that of higher energy
level.
• For stimulated emission population of
excited level should be greater than
lower level.
• Making population of active atoms in
higher energy level (N2 ) more than
population of active atoms in lower
energy level (N1) is called Population
Inversion.
• A system in which population inversion
is achieved called active system.
 PUMPING METHOD & OPTICAL
• The process of raising the PUMPING
atoms from lower energy
state to higher excited
energy state is called
Pumping.
• Pumping method
(Optical,Electric,inelastic
collision ,chemical reaction).
• The process of raising the
atoms from lower energy
state to higher excited
energy state using light
medium is called Optical
Pumping.
 • Proper lasing action can be produced using three
level than that of two level system.
• Optical pumping i.e. Photon of energy incident due
OPTICAL PUMPING to which atom get excited from energy level E1to E3.
(THREE LEVEL LASER • Here atom relax for very short time (less than 10-9 sec.)
SYSTEM) & atom makes transition to energy level E2.
• This transition is not in visible range.
• Energy level E2 is metastable state.(life time 10-6 to 10-3
sec.)
• Hence atom relax for longer time, population of level
E2 becomes more than that of E1,i.e.population
inversion is achieved.
• If atom is triggered due to action of incident photon
,atom get stimulated & make transition from E2 to E1.
• Each transition resulting into stimulated emission of
two photons having same phase and same direction.
Thus producing intense LASER beam.
• Ruby crystal Al2O3 in which Cr2O3 is mixed in
RUBY LASER
(0.05%)as impurity so that Al3+ are replaced by Cr3+ CONSTRUCTION
which gives red colour.
• Ruby is taken in the form of rod of diameter of 1mm
to 20mm & length 4 cm to 20cm.
• The size is depends up on energy required.
• Its ends are polished, such that end faces exactly
parallel to each other & perpendicular to the axis of
rod.
• One of the end is fully silvered & other is partially
silvered.
• The spaces between two faces known as resonant
cavity.
• This rod is surrounded by xenon flash lamp
produced light of wavelength(5500 Ao) connected
to power supply.
• The system is cooled with the help of coolant.
• The energy level of Cr3+ ions is shown .E1 - ground state, E3 RUBY LASER
-excited state & E2 - metastable sate of life time 10 -3 sec.
WORKING
• Initially all the Cr3+ions are in ground state, when xenon
flash lamp generates intense white light of wavelength
5500Ao .it absorbed Cr3+ ions & excited to level E3.
• The excited levels are highly unstable & Cr3+ions jump
from E3 to E2.thie is the radiation less transition. Energy
emitted in the form of heat.
• As E2 is metastable state atoms stay & accumulate. If the
pumping rate is faster population of E2 is greater than
E1.thus population inversion achieved between E2 & E1.
• The spontaneous photon emitted from E2, cause the
stimulated emission & knock out another photon.

• These two photons travelling along the axis knock out two
more photons & so no which gives strong LASER of
wavelength 6943 Ao.
 APPLICATIONS OF LASER
Scientific
• Used to trap atoms for different studies and material characteristics.
• A wide variety of interferometric techniques.
• Raman spectroscopy.
• Atmospheric remote sensing.
• Investigating nonlinear optics phenomena.
• Laser based (Light RADAR) technology has application in
geology, seismology, remote sensing and atmospheric physics.
• Precession measurement of distance & alignment in civil construction
work.
• Determination of path of satellite & space craft, velocity measurement
& angular speed .
 APPLICATIONS OF LASER
Engineering
• Engraving & Embossing of printing plates.
• Cutting ,drilling, welding, surface hardening.
• Holography
• Computer printers, 3D Laser scanners.
• Optical Fiber communication.

Medical
• In Endoscopy.
• In treatment of caner & Ulcers
• Fix up detached retina in treatment of glaucoma & cataract.
THANK YOU…..
References :
• All the images Google web source
• Text Book: M.N.Avadhanulu & P.G.Kshirsagar; Engineering Physics,
S.Chand Pub.,2008.