Laser

LASER
L ight
A mplification by

S timulated
E mission of

R adiation
Properties of laser
Monochromatic
Directionality
Coherence
 Incandescent vs. Laser Light

1. Many wavelengths 1. Monochromatic

2. Multidirectional 2. Directional
3. Incoherent 3. Coherent
BASIC PRINCIPLE NEEDED
FOR LASER
 Stimulated Absorption

Energy is absorbed by an atom, the atoms are excited

into higher energy level.
Absorption

E1

E2
 Spontaneous Emission

The atom decays from level 2 to level 1 through the

emission of a photon with the energy hv. It is a
completely random process.
Spontaneous Emission
 Stimulated Emission

atoms in an upper energy level can be triggered or

stimulated in phase by an incoming photon of a specific
energy.
Stimulated Emission
 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

Electron/Photon Interactions
WHY WE NEED META STABLE
STATE?
ANSWER IS
With having the metastable state above the
ground level. Atom reaches the meta stable
state (after first stimulated emission) can
remain there for longer time period. So the
number of atom increases in the meta stable
state. And when these atoms come back to the
original ground level it emits laser beam.
 POPULATION INVERSION
A state of a medium where a higher-lying electronic level has
a higher population than a lower-lying level
 PUMPING
The method particle of raising a particle from lower energy
state to higher energy state is called pumping.

TYPES OF PUMPING :

1. Optical pumping

2. Electrical pumping

3. X-ray pumping

4. Chemical pumping
 LASER COMPONENTS
All lasers have 3 essential components:

A lasing or "gain" medium

A source of energy to excite electrons in the gain medium

to high energy states, referred to as "pump" energy

An optical path which allows emitted photons to oscillate

and interfere constructively as energy is added or

"pumped" into the system, ie, a resonator

LASER ACTION
 Einsteins Coefficients
Einstein gives a probability that stimulated
emission is same as absorption.

Means that if a stimulated absorption can

occur then there is same probability that
stimulated emission can occur.
 Equilibrium condition
In case of energy states the number of atom
absorbed and emitted should be equal or the
rate of change of numbers of atoms in two
states should be equal.

dN
0
dt
Plancks Radiation Law

8h 3
1
E 3 h
c
e kT
1
Planks gives the formula that how
a gas radiate energy.
 Spontaneous emission
A21 :- correspond to spontaneous
emission probability per unit time

This particular emission can occur

without the presence of external field
E(v)
 Stimulated Absorption
B12 :- correspond to stimulated
absorption probability per unit time

This type of absorption can occur in

presence of external field E(v) only
 Stimulated Emission
B21 :- correspond to stimulated emission
probability per unit time

This type of emission can occur in presence of

external field E(v) only
 Total Emission Probability
Spontaneous Emission + Stimulated
Emission

A21 + B21 E(v)

A21 B21E N 2
Number of atoms that can jump from level E2 to E1 is
Total Absorption Probability

B12 E N1
 The rate of change of atoms in E2
It can be given by differentiation

dN 2
Absorption emission
dt (probability)

or
dN 2
B12 E N1 A21 B21E N 2
dt
 At Equilibrium

dN 2
0
dt
Then

B12 E N1 A21 B 21E N 2

Emission and absorption are same

A21 1
E
B21 N1 B12
1
N B
2 21
Maxwell Bolzman Distribution
In thermal equilibrium
E1
N1 N 0e KT

E2
N 2 N 0e KT
 So the equations become
h
N1
e kT
N2
So equation becomes

A21 1
E h
B21 B12
e
kT
1
B21
After comparing with Planks
Radiation Law
Units of Einstein
A21 8h 3
c3 coefficient: Joules-
B21 Sec/m3

And

B12
1
B21
 Conclusions
Stimulated emission have same probability as
stimulated absorption
Ratio between spontaneous and stimulated
emission varies with v3
All we need is to calculate one of the
probability to find others.
 Types of Laser

a.According to their sources:
1.Gas Lasers
2.Crystal Lasers
3.Semiconductors Lasers
4.Liquid Lasers
b.According to the nature of emission:
1.Continuous Wave
2.Pulsed Laser
c.According to their wavelength:
1.Visible Region
2.Infrared Region
3.Ultraviolet Region
4.Microwave Region
X-Ray Region
d. According to different levels
1. 2-level laser
2. 3-level laser
3. 4-level laser
e. According to mode of pumping
1. optical
2. chemical
3. electric discharge
4. electrical
 2- Level Laser
E2 E2
h h

E1 E1
Absorption Spontaneous
Emission

E2
h h h

E1
Stimulated
Emission
 THREE STEP LASER
Stimulated absorption
Spontaneous emission to the meta
stable state
Stimulated emission from meta
stable state to ground state.
E2

E2 E1 E1

META STABLE
STATE
E1 E0

E0
4-Level LASER
PRACTICAL LASERS
 RUBY LASER
(SOLID STATE
LASER)

Construction (Al2O3 crystal doped with 0.05% of chromium oxide (Cr2O) 3

The Al+3 ions are replaced by cr3+, These impurity Cr+3 ions are
responsible for the pink colour (or red colour) ruby laser.
ENERGY LEVEL IN RUBY
LASER
Al2O3
4T
1 Cr+

2T
2
Energy

rapiddecay
4T
2
2
E

LASING

4
A2
LASER ACTION IN RUBY
LASER
 HE-NE LASER
Construction (He:Ne=10:1 at low
pressure
.

Energy Level Diagram of He-Ne

Combined Laser Action
Emission wavelengths of common
lasers
Nd (Neodymium) YAG (Yttrium Aluminium
Garnet) LASER
Principle Characteristics
Type : Doped Insulator Laser
Doped Insulator laser Active Medium : Yttrium Aluminium Garnet
refers to yttrium
aluminium garnet doped
Active Centre : Neodymium
with neodymium. The Nd
ion has many energy Pumping : Optical Pumping
levels and due to optical Method
pumping these ions are Pumping : Xenon Flash Pump
raised to excited levels. Source
During the transition
Optical : Ends of rods silver coated
from the metastable
Resonator Two mirrors partially and
state to E1, the laser
beam of wavelength totally reflecting
1.064m is emitted Power Output : 20 kWatts

Nature of : Pulsed
Output
Wavelength : 1.064 m
Emitted
 Nd (Neodymium) YAG (Yttrium
Aluminium Garnet) LASER
M1100% M2partial
reflectormirror reflectormirror
LaserRod

FlashTube

Capacitor

Resistor

PowerSupply
 Energy Level Diagram of Nd YAG LASER
E3
Non radiative decay

E2
E4
Laser
1.064m
E1

Non radiative decay

Nd E0

E1,E2,E3EnergylevelsofNd
E4MetaStableState
E0groundStateEnergyLevel

Applications
Transmission of signals over large distances
Long haul communication system
Endoscopic applications
Remaote sensing
 SEMICONDUCTOR (Ga-As) LASERS

Introduction :

The semiconductor laser is today one of the most

important types of lasers with its very important application
in fiber optic communication.

These lasers use semiconductors as the lasing medium and

are characterized by specific advantages such as the
capability of direct modulation in the gigahertz region,
small size and low cost.
Basic Mechanism :

The basic mechanism responsible for light emission

from a semiconductor is the recombination of
electronsandholesatap-njunctionwhenacurrent
ispassedthroughadiode.

Therecanbethreeinteractionprocesses

1)An electron in the valence band can absorb the

incident radiation and be excited to the conduction
bandleadingtothegenerationofeletron-holepair.
Contd.
2) An electron can make a spontaneous transition in which it
combines with a hole and in the process it emits radiation
3) A stimulated emission may occur in which the incident
radiation stimulates an electron in the conduction band to
make a transition to the valence band and in the process emit
radiation.
To convert the amplifying medium into a laser
Optical feedback should be provided
Done by cleaving or polishing the ends of the p-n
junction diode at right angles to the junction.
Contd.
When a current is passed through a p-n junction under
forward bias, the injected electrons and holes will increase the
density of electrons in the conduction band.

The stimulated emission rate will exceed the absorption rate

and amplification will occur at some value of current due to
holes in valence band.

As the current is further increased, at threshold value of the

current, the amplification will overcome the losses in the cavity
and the laser will begin to emit coherent radiation.
Simple structure (Homojunction) :
The basic semiconductor laser structure in which the
photons generated by the injection current travel to the
edge mirrors and are reflected back into the active area.
Photoelectron collisions take place and produce more
photons, which continue to bounce back and forth between
the two edge mirrors.
This process eventually increases the number of
generated photons until lasing takes place. The lasing will
take place at particular wavelengths that are related to the
length of the cavity.
 Basic semiconductor laser structure
a) Side view, b) Projection Heterostructures
Solved Problem (1) : Calculate the wavelength of emission from
GaAs semiconductor laser whose band gap energy is 1.44 ev
(planks constant is 6.625 x 10-34 Js and charge of an electron is 1.6
x 10-19 C.
Given data : Band gap energy Eg = 1.44 ev (or) 1.44 x 1.6 x 10 -19
Joules.
Solution :
We know Band gap energy (Eg) = h (or) hc/
we can write = hc/Eg
= 6.625 x 10
-34 8
x 3 x 10 ) / (1.44 x 1.6 x 10
-19
)

-7
= 8.6263 x 10 m

-10
= 8626.3 x 10 m

o
wave length of GaAs laser = 8626.3 A
 Current

Cleavedsurfacemirror

L Electrode
p+ GaAs
L

n+ GaAs
Electrode

Activeregion
(stimulatedemissionregion)

AschematicillustrationofaGaAshomojunctionlaser
diode.Thecleavedsurfacesactasreflectingmirrors.
1999S.O.Kasap,Optoelectronics (PrenticeHall)
 Laser Diodes
Lasing occurs when the supply of free electrons
exceeds the losses in the cavity.
Current through the junction and the electron
supply are directly proportional. must be
I TH action occurs.
exceeded before laser
.
Laser Diode Action (intrinsics)

Refer to diagram of degenerately doped direct

bandgap semiconductor pn junction.
Degenerate doping- where fermi level
EFP is ( ) on P-
side is in the valence
EFN band (VB)and on the N-
side is in the conduction band (CB).
Energy levels up to the the fermi level are
occupied by electrons.
When there is no applied voltage the fermi level
is continuous across the diode ( )
E FN E FP

.
 p+ Junction n+
Ec

Eg p+ n+
eV o Ec EF n
In v ers i o n
reg i o n Ec
Ev Eg
EF p H o les in V B EF n eV
Electro ns El ectro ns i n C B
Ec
EF p

Ev
(a) (b)

Theenergybanddiagramofadegeneratelydopedpnwithnobias.(b)Band
diagramwithasufficientlylargeforwardbiastocausepopulationinversionand
hencestimulatedemission.
1999S.O.Kasap,Optoelectronics (PrenticeHall)
 Laser Diode (intrinsics)
Space charge layer (SCL) is very narrow.
Vo (built in voltage) prevents electrons in CB (n+-
side) from diffusing into CB of p+-side.
There is a similar barrier preventing hole diffusion
from p+ to n+ sides.
Assuming an applied voltage (Vapp) greater than
E FN andenergy,
the bandgap EFP are now
separated by Vapp.
Vapp diminishes barrier potential to 0 allowing
electrons to flow into SCL and over to p+-side to
establish diode current.
 Laser Diodes (intrinsics)
A similar reduction in barrier potential for holes
from p+-side to n+-side occurs.
Result SCL no longer depleted.

E FN EFP eVapp Eg
 Laser Diode (Population
Inversion)
Refer to Density of States.
More electrons in the CB at energies near Ec than
electrons in VB near Ev.
This is the result of a Population Inversion in
energies near EC and EV.
The region where the population inversion occurs
develops a layer along the junction called an
inversion layer or active region.
 Laser Diode (stimulated
emission)
An incoming photon with energy E E of
C V will not
see electrons
E toto
V E excite from
C due to theE V

absence of electrons at . CE to E
V

The photon can cause an electron to fall down from

.
The incoming photon is stimulating direct
recombination.
 Laser Diode (stimulated
emission)
The region where there is more stimulated
emission than absorption results in Optical gain.
Optical gain depends upon the photon energy and
thus wavelength .
Summary:
*Photons with energy > EgEFNbut EFP <
(Vapp )

cause stimulated emission.

E E (Vapp )
*Photons with energy >FN FP
are absorbed.
 Laser Diode (pumping)

An adequate forward bias is required to develop

injection carriers across a junction to initiate a
population inversion
E
C between energies
E
V
at and
energies at .
What is the pumping mechanism used to achieve
this?
Forward current density above a threshold value
The process is called injection pumping.
 Laser Diode (optical cavity)

In addition to population inversion laser

oscillation must be sustained.
An optical cavity is implemented to elevate the
intensity of stimulated emission. (optical
resonator)
Provides an output of continuous coherent
radiation.
A homojunction laser diode is one where the pn
junction uses the same direct bandgap
semiconductor material throughout the
component (ex. GaAs) See slide 3.
 Laser Diode (optical cavity)

The ends of the crystal are cleaved to a flatness and

the ends polished to provide reflection.
Photons reflected from cleaved surface stimulate
more photons of the same frequency.
The of radiation that escalates in the cavity is
dependant on the length L of the cavity.(resonant
length)

Only multiples of exist.

m L where : m is an integer (mode or resonant frequency)
2n
n is the refractive index of the semiconductor
is the free space wavelength
APPLICATION S OF LASER
 Not to be Taken Lightly
The Weighty Implications of Laser Technology

Medical
Optical Surgery
General Surgery
Tattoo removal

Entertainment
CD Players
Applications of DVD Players
Laser Video Game Systems
Technology Telecommunications
Information tech.
Holograms
Satellites
Military
Weapons
Radar
Industry
04/25/17
 Can You See the Light?
Military and Space Airplanes are
aircraft are equipped equipped with Bad eyesight can be
with laser guns laser radar corrected by optical
surgery using lasers
Cd-Rom discs
are read by lasers Dentists use
laser drills

Tattoo removal is
done using lasers

Laser tech. is used in printers,

copiers, and scanners

DVD players read

DVDs using lasers
Laser pointers can
enhance
CD-Audio is presentations Bar codes in Video game systems such as
read by a laser grocery stores are PlayStation 2 utilize lasers
04/25/17
scanned by lasers
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=tjWznlGst9M

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