LASER

• L ight
C.H. Towns, 1954

• A mplification by T.H. Maiman, 1960

• S timulated Noble prize, 1964

• E mission of

• R adiation
Incandescent (Normal light) vs. Laser Light

1. Many wavelengths 1. Monochromatic

2. Multidirectional 2. Directional
3. Incoherent 3. Coherent
Normal light source and LASER light source
Similarities
1. Excitation of lower energy level atoms to higher energy level and then transition from higher to lower
level giving rise to electromagnetic radiations in the form of light.

2. Follow Planck’s Radiation Law for black body radiation.

Dissimilarities
1.Normal light is used to view the things around us but LASER light is
not used for the same.

2. From the generation point of view, in normal light source (even for a
monochromatic source), the bandwidth of wavelengths is very much
higher than in the LASER light source due to the spontaneous
emissions being much dominant in comparison to LASER.

3. LASER are the specially designed light sources using special type of
materials. On the contrary, normal light can be generated by using so
many types of materials.
Characteristic Properties of LASER

Mono-chromaticity (single wavelength)

Coherence (in phase)

Collimated (highly parallel)

High Intensity (Concentrated)

 Laser Fundamentals
 The light emitted from a laser is monochromatic, that is, it is of one
color/wavelength. In contrast, ordinary white light is a combination of many colors
(or wavelengths) of light.

 Lasers emit light that is highly directional, that is, laser light is emitted as a
relatively narrow beam in a specific direction. Ordinary light, such as from a light
bulb, is emitted in many directions away from the source.

 The light from a laser is said to be coherent, which means that the wavelengths
of the laser light are in phase in space and time. Ordinary light can be a mixture
of many wavelengths.

These three properties of laser light are what can make it more hazardous
than ordinary light. Laser light can deposit a lot of energy within a small
area.
5
Origin of LASER
Lower energy level atoms are excited to higher energy levels by
absorbing the incident energy radiation in the form of photons.
These higher energy level atoms come back to the lower energy
level, randomly and spontaneously by releasing the radiation in
the visible band of electromagnetic spectrum.

If we are able to stimulate the atoms in excited states to transit

them to lower level in the form of in-phase pulses, we will get
amplified light with lower bandwidth giving rise to highly
monochromatic and highly intensified light called LASER.
Principle of Laser
•Usually have more atoms in low(est) energy levels
•Atomic systems can be pumped so that more atoms
are in a higher energy level.
• Requires input of energy
• Called Population Inversion: achieved via
• Electric discharge
• Optically
• Direct current
Population inversion
Lots of atoms in this level

N2
Energy

N1

Few atoms in this level

Want N2 - N1 to be as
large as possible
Absorption and emission of light

Classically, no explanation of interaction of light with matter. But

the population of atoms in different energy levels are related to
the temperature only.

If and be the population of atoms in lower energy and higher

energy states respectively. Then from Boltzmann law;
= (where N0 is the number of atoms at 0 K)
=

Or = (1)
At room temperature if all the atoms are in the ground state, the condition of =
can be achieved with either T or = (practically not possible).

The question of making greater than becomes much difficult.

That is why classical theory does not allow population inversion.

The quantum mechanical process allows the transfer of light energy to an atom to
go to the excited state, called induced absorption and releasing the light, when the
atom jumps back spontaneously to ground state, called spontaneous emission.

The transfer of energy from light to an atom and it is released from an atom, is
done, in the form of photons. For a particular material, having and as the excited
and ground energy respectively, a photon is supposed to have the value equal to –
whether it is transferred from light to an atom or release by the atom. So, a ground
level atom absorbs a photon of energy h = – to jump to the excited state and after
spending nearly sec, it comes back to the ground state, emitting a light photon of
same energy i.e. h = – .
Probability of induced absorption, spontaneous emission
and stimulated emission
Stimulated or Induced Absorption

At ordinary temperature, most of the atoms are in the ground state.

If a photon of frequency is incident on the atom of the material, it will be absorbed by the atom
in the ground state and hence will go to the excited state if and only if – = h where h is the
photonic energy corresponding to the photon of frequency.

Stimulated absorption refers to the absorption of a photon by an atom by the action of external
energy.
The transition of the number of atoms per unit volume per second, called rate of induced absorption
are proportional to rate of decrease of number of atoms present in the ground state i.e.

=-
(2)
According to Einstein, is proportional to and the energy density of the photons of the light beam. i.e.

Or (3)

, known as Einstein’s coefficient of stimulated absorption, gives the probability of transition from
energy level to .

Due to this process, the number of atoms in level , starts increasing.

 
Spontaneous emission

After spending about sec in the excited state, the atoms have to come down independently
and spontaneously to the ground state, releasing the radiation of same energy h = – , which
was absorbed during excitation process.
The transition of the number of atoms per unit volume per second, called rate of
emission is proportional to the rate of decrease of number of atoms present in the
excited state i.e. this process is independent of any external energy and depends
only on the number of atoms in the excited state.

According to Einstein, the rate of spontaneous emission is proportional to only. i.e.

Or (4)

Where the Einstein’s coefficient gives the probability of spontaneous emission from
level to .
 Stimulated Emission
The process of emission from higher energy level to lower energy level can be affected by the
incident photonic energy .
This conclusion encouraged Einstein to predict that if a photon can stimulate an atom to jump
from lower energy state to higher energy state by the process of stimulated absorption then a
photon should be able to stimulate the higher level atom to jump to the lower energy level by
emitting radiation called stimulated emission.
The rate of stimulated emission is given as,

Or (5)

Where the Einstein’s coefficient B21 gives the probability of stimulated emissions.

From (4) and (5), it should be noted that merely an increase in i.e. number density in the
excited state will increase both, spontaneous emission as well as the stimulated emission.

So, now the question arises as how to get a situation in which stimulated emission
dominates over spontaneous emission……………..??
Characteristics of Spontaneous and
Stimulated emission
Spontaneous Emission

1. It’s a random process.

2. Doesn’t depend on the energy density of incident radiation.
3. Photons are emitted in different directions in a random manner and thus light is
non - directional.
4. Radiation emitted consists of a random mixture of quanta having various
wavelengths. Thus, light is not monochromatic.
5. Broad spectrum of frequencies.
6. Light produced is incoherent as the photons do not have any correlation in their
phases.
7. Multiplication of photons does not take place and hence no amplification of light
takes place.
8. The net intensity of the emitted light is given as:
=NI, where N = number of atoms emitting photons.
and I = Intensity of each photon
9.Light from the source is un-polarized as the plane of polarization of the photons
are oriented randomly.
Stimulated Emission

1. Not a random process.

2. Depends on the energy density of incident radiation.
3. The stimulating incident photon and the emitted photons in same direction and
thus light beam is directional.
4. Radiation emitted doesn’t consists of varying wavelengths, thus light is nearly
said to be monochromatic.
5. Narrow spectrum of frequencies.
6. Light produced is coherent as the emitted and incident stimulating photons are
same in phase.
7. Multiplication of photons takes place and hence amplification of light.
8. Constructive interference of photons takes place and resultant intensity is
= N2 I
Sum up
Spontaneous emission
A21 :- correspond to spontaneous emission probability per unit time

This particular emission can occur without the presence of external field E(ν)

Stimulated Absorption
B12 :- correspond to stimulated absorption probability per unit time

This type of absorption can occur in presence of external field E(ν) only

Stimulated Emission
B21 :- correspond to stimulated emission probability per unit time

This type of emission can occur in presence of external field E(ν) only
Einstein’s Coefficients
Total Emission Probability
Spontaneous Emission + Stimulated Emission

A21 + B21 E(v)

Number of atoms that can jump from level E2 to E1 is

A21  B21E  N 2

Total Absorption Probability

B12 E  N1
Equilibrium condition
In case of energy states the number of electron absorbed and emitted
should be equal or the rate of change of numbers of atoms in two
states should be equal.

dN
 0
dt
The rate of change of atoms in E2
It can be given by differentiation

dN 2
 Absorption  emission
dt
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 2  B21 
Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution
In thermal equilibrium
 E1
N1  N 0 e KT

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

A21 1
E    h
B21  B 
e kT  12
  1
 B21 
Planck’s Radiation Law
3
8h 1
E    3 h
c
e kT
1
Plank’s gives the formula that how
a gas radiate energy.
Einstein’s 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.
After comparing with Planks Radiation
Law
A21 8h 3
 c3
B21

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.
Relationship between Einstein’s Coefficients
under thermal equilibrium, the number of transitions from E 1 to E2 must be equal to number of transitions from
E2 to E1 i.e. number of atoms absorbing photons per second per unit volume must be equal to the number of
atoms emitting photons per second per unit volume.
Thus, using equations (3), (4) and (5)
 
= +
Or
= +
Or ( - ) =
Or
= (6)
Or
=
From equation (1) we have = or =
Or =
So = (7)
 
The expression (7) is the energy density absorbed during the absorption process or radiated during the emission
process. It should be noted that radiated photonic energy is the sum of energy during spontaneous emission and
stimulated emission both. All the radiations emitted from a body should obey Planck’s radiation formula. i.e.
 =[] (8)
Now comparing (7) and (8), we get
= (9)
And = 1 or = (10)
From (9) and (10) it can be shown that
= = (11)

 Very interesting and important finding from Einstein’s relations is that at thermal equilibrium, there is as much
probability of stimulated emission as that of absorption. This is what Einstein predicted.
 The probability of stimulated emissions is higher at low frequencies i.e. stimulated emissions dominates over
spontaneous emissions at low frequencies. We also can say that it is difficult to achieve laser action in higher
frequency ranges like X-rays.
Significance of Einstein’s Relations
Let us summarize the relations developed by Einstein in correlation to the absorption and emission of radiations
by the atoms of a material and analyze them.
1. B12 N1 (a)
2. A21 N2 (b)
3. B21 N2 (c)
4. = (d)
5. = 1 or = (e)
6. = = (f)

First three relations (a), (b) and (c) gives rate of absorption and emissions of photonic energy by an atom. The
coefficients, , and represent the probability for induced, spontaneous and stimulated emissions respectively,
by the atoms of a material. The last three relations (d), (e) and (f) show the inter-relation between the
induced, spontaneous and stimulated emissions. These relations are the building blocks to produce LASER.
Now we will see how these relations provide us the conditions, which are necessary to fulfill, if LASER is to
be produced.
 
Now dividing (c) by (a)
=
Using (f) we can write
=
= (g)
Now dividing (c) by (b) we have
=
Or =
=

Or =
-1 (h)
stimulated emission will be more and more dominating as is higher than. As we know that at
thermodynamic equilibrium, is much higher than, so the necessary condition for producing more
of stimulated emissions is that, initially, we have to make the population of atoms higher in the
excited state than the ground state. This condition is called population inversion. From (h) it may
be noted that dominance of stimulated emissions depends upon large value of energy density of
incident photons.
 
Components of LASER
The main components which are necessary to produce highly coherent, nearly
monochromatic, amplified and unidirectional light called LASER. So, the main
components of LASER are as shown in Fig.
1. Population Inversion
2. Active Medium
3. Resonant Cavity
Population Inversion
In an assembly of large no. of atoms say N0, in the thermal equilibrium, their distribution in
different energy states is given by Maxwell – Boltzmann statistics. At any temperature T, the
population in energy states and are and respectively, then
=
N2 = N 1 (12)
Where, k = 1.38 10-23 J/mole K, is Boltzmann Constant.

The equation (12) shows the population ratio of

excited level versus ground level. From
equation (12), it can be shown that at room
temperature i.e. nearly at 300 K the population
of atoms in excited level is very near to zero
and even also 20 times the room temperature. It
means that even at very high temperature, the
density of atoms, excited from ground level to
higher level will be very low such that around
only 4 atoms out of 1010 atoms are able to reach
Desired population inversion cannot be achieved until and unless the following two conditions
are met.
 
(i) A material medium called active medium
(ii) A mechanism, capable for supplying the sufficient energy to ground state atoms to jump to
the excited state, called pumping (as discussed later).
 
Active Medium

•Unlike normal light sources, all the materials are not suitable to produce laser. For LASER, there should be a
material, having energy levels that are suitable for achieving the population inversion. In addition to this, these
materials must consist of one more energy level between the excited and ground state where the excited atoms
can stay comparatively for longer time in comparison to the excited level. So that there is sufficient time for the
stimulated atoms to jump back to the ground state to produce stimulated emissions. This state is called
metastable state. As in normal excited states the atoms have a life time of nearly s but a metastable state has a
life time of nearly s to s. So there is an accumulation of a large numbers of atoms in the metastable state. This
implies that for population inversion, an active medium with metastable state is compulsorily needed. Active
medium, can thus be defined as a medium which when excited reaches the state of population inversion so as to
carry out stimulated emissios causing light amplification. The active medium can be either a solid, liquid gas or
a plasma.
• 
Resonant Cavity

Helps in producing more and more stimulated emissions but also make LASER intense and
uni-directional.
An optical resonant cavity may thus be defined as a pair of optically plane parallel mirrors.
The two mirrors are placed at both the ends of the laser. These two mirrors can be realized
in practice in three ways as shown in Fig. (a),(b) and (c): A linear resonator consisting of
two plane mirrors (a), A confocal resonator consisting of two concave mirrors (b) and A
hemispherical resonator consisting of a plane mirror and a concave mirror (c)

(a) Linear resonator (b) Confocal resonator (c) Hemispherical resonator

Amplification of Light in LASER
The photons emitted due to spontaneous emission travels through the
medium and triggers stimulated emission. The end mirror reflects back
the photons which are fed back into the medium and travels towards the
opposite end of the mirror giving rise to more of stimulated emissions.
The photons are once more reflected from the mirror, reaches again the
opposite side and this happens multiple times till you get a substantial
light amplification as the light beam on each reflection causes gain in
the strength.

In the absence of an optical resonator, there would be no amplification

of light.
 
Advantages

1) Laser mirror increases the length of the active medium by making the beam pass multiple number of times.
2) Laser mirror can determine the boundary conditions for the electromagnetic fields inside the laser cavity.
3) Only certain frequencies are selected and amplified in laser which makes it highly monochromatic.
4) Optical resonator provides a positive feedback of photons in the medium so as to maintain the stimulated
emission for carrying out laser operation.
5) A high photon density is needed for domination of stimulated over spontaneous emission. Hence, with the
multiple reflection at the end mirrors, a large amplified beam of photons can be obtained which confines
itself within the medium.
Pumping
Pumping is the process of continuous energy transfer from an external source to the active laser medium or the
gain medium or lasing medium

Commonly used pumping methods are:

Optical Pumping
In this method, light energy is transferred to achieve population inversion by means of proper pumping source
such as gaseous discharge in flash tubes. e.g. in ruby laser, xenon flash tube is used.

Electric discharge
In this method, electric discharge converts the gas into a plasma where active centres collide in-elastically with
free electrons so as to achieve population inversion e.g. it is suited to gas media like He – Ne or CO 2 laser.
 
Chemical pumping
It raises the atoms of the active medium into the higher levels by means of suitable exothermal chemical
reactions in the medium.
 
Heat pumping
In this case, the atoms of the active medium is first brought to a high temperature and then rapidly cooled down.
Pumping Schemes
Atoms can have a large number of energy levels but it
is seen that usually three or four levels can be utilized
for pumping process to have continuous emission of
laser.

The different pumping schemes include:

 
a)Two level pumping scheme
b)Three level pumping scheme
c)Four level pumping scheme
 
Two level pumping scheme

Two level here signifies the presence of ground state energy and a
higher excited state energy. Let E1 be the ground state energy level and
E2 be the higher excited state energy. Two level pumping however, is
not possible using two level pumping scheme as the energy which is
being transferred to pump the atoms from lower to an excited state has
an equal probability of de-exciting them back down. Thus, it is not
possible to pump more than half of the atoms into the excited state
and hence and so forth, one cannot achieve population inversion which
is a necessity for lasing action to take place.
 Three level pumping scheme
Let ground state energy is ; the atoms are excited to state E 3.
When the atoms of the material are irradiated with a frequency
of  = , the atoms get excited to state by the process of
stimulated absorption.
The atoms do not stay there for a very large time instead they
decay spontaneously to metastable state with a non – radiative
or a radiation-less transition. They now stay there where there
mean life time is more. Also, they get trapped as spontaneous
transition from to is forbidden. Consequently, a large
accumulation of the atoms takes place at the level . When more
than half of the ground state atoms accumulate at E 2, population
inversion can be achieved. During this time, if a photon with
frequency,  = is incident, stimulated emission takes place. As
a result from a single photon, a large number of identical
photons can be produced and the radiation beam is now highly
amplified. An intense, coherent beam of light which is
unidirectional can be obtained.
WHY WE NEED META STABLE
STATE?

With having the metastable state above the ground level, atom reaches
the meta stable state (after first stimulated emission) and 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.
Drawbacks

• In this pumping scheme, the termination level is the ground level and
the number of atoms that has to be transferred to level 2 should be
more than 50% of the atoms so as to achieve population inversion.
Hence, it requires very high pumping power.

• Depopulation of ground state is important for a three level laser to

work. As atoms or molecules emit light, they can accumulate in the
ground state, where they can absorb the stimulated emission, thereby
ceasing up the population inversion state. Laser action is shut down
and one has to wait till it revives back. So most of the three level
lasers generate pulses.
Four level pumping scheme
For four energy levels < < < . be the ground state energy level; be the higher
excited state to which the atoms have to be pumped; the upper metastable lasing
level and the lower lasing level.
The atoms from the ground state can be raised to the excited state by supplying
energy.The atoms stay there for only about 10-8 s and then decay by a fast radiation
less transition from to energy level by spontaneous emission.
The spontaneous transition is forbidden from the level to , the atoms get trapped at
the level . is the metastable state. Eventually, the number of atoms in is more than
in E2. Since the level 2 is much above the ground level such that ( - ) > kT. At
normal temperatures, thus the atoms can never jump from  on the basis of their
thermal energies. As a result, level E2 seems to be empty. Population inversion is
attained then between the levels and. There could be a probability that photon of
energy h = ( - ) emitted spontaneously can start a chain of stimulated emissions,
bringing the atoms to the lower laser level . From the level, the atoms subsequently
undergo non-radiative transitions to the ground level E 1 and will be once again
available for excitation. Since we require only a small number of atoms to be
excited in the upper lasing level to form population inversion, it proves that a four
level laser is much more efficient and practical then the three level laser.
Advantages

1) In case of a four level laser, the laser transition from the metastable state (here
E3) ends at an unstable intermediate state rather than going to the ground state.
Since the intermediate state decays very fast to the ground state, there is less
possibility of availability of atoms there. Even a small amount of pumping is
sufficient to populate the metastable state to a greater extent in comparison to
the intermediate state, as required for a laser amplification.

2) They operate in a continuous wave mode as the condition of population

inversion can be obtained un-interruptedly and hence we get light output
continuously.
 
Types of lasers
Laser can be divided according to several different criterion like:

1) Whether the gain or the lasing medium is a gas, liquid or solid.

(2) Whether it is fixed frequency or tunable.

(3) Based on the emission range of wavelength – visible or ultraviolet or infrared spectrum

(4) Based on whether the laser is pulsed or continuous wave (cw)

(5) Based on the excitation mechanism used for the active medium like optical, electrical etc.

(6) Based on the laser power or the number of energy levels that can participate in the lasing action –
three or four level lasers
 
Types of lasers
Lasers are classified according to laser active medium into:

• Solid: for example

• Ruby (Cr:Al2O3)
• Neodymium- glass (Nd-Glass).
• Nd- YAG (Nd-Yttrium, Aluminum granite)

• Liquid lasers: (Dyes).

• Gas lasers: He-Ne, Ar, CO2, He-Cd, N2, Kr, Excimer (ArF, XeF, HF, DF).
 Introduction
• It was invented by Javan et. al. in 1961.

• A helium-neon laser, usually called a He-Ne laser, is a type of small gas laser. He-Ne lasers have many industrial
and scientific uses, and are often used in laboratory demonstrations of optics.

•Helium Neon, the two form an active medium consisting of two gases which do not interact to form a molecule.
It is an atomic gas laser.

•The excitation of He and Ne atoms is obtained by means of high frequency electromagnetic field. The energy is
transferred to the atom of the gas by the impact of electron and atomic collision.

•The Helium is added to the gas mixture as it enables the pumping process while neon atoms are important for
laser action.

•  He-Ne laser is a four-level laser.

• Its usual operation wavelength is 632.8 nm, in the red portion of the visible spectrum.

• It operates in Continuous Working (CW) mode.

 Construction
 He-Ne laser consists of a pump source (high voltage power supply), a gain medium
(laser glass tube or discharge glass tube) and resonating cavity (pair of mirrors).

 In He-Ne, we have high voltage d.c supplying electric current through a gas
mixture of Helium and Neon. This gas mixture of Helium and Neon known as gain
medium is filled in a glass tube at a very low pressure. The partial pressure for He
is 1 mbar and for Ne 0.1 mbar. This mixture is available in the ratio 10:1.

 The excited atoms are the neon atoms which have energy levels suitable for laser
transition while helium atom, helps in exciting neon atoms.

 The glass tube is connected to the electrodes (anode and cathode) through which
electric current can be passed through the gas mixture.

 The glass tube is placed between two mirrors, one is a perfect reflector as it is
fully silvered mirror and the other one is partially silvered mirror which reflects
most part of the light but allows some part of the light to produce the laser beam.
 
 Working
 When the power is switched on, a high voltage of around 10 KV is supplied to the gas mixture which ionizes
it. The electron and ions are produced in the discharge process and both are accelerated towards anode and
cathode respectively through the gas mixture by colliding with them.

 The energetic electrons transfer their energy to the He atoms in the gas as they are much lighter. He atoms
gets excited. One of the excited levels of Helium (2s) is at 20.61 eV above the ground level. It is the
metastable level and the excited helium atom does not return to the ground state through spontaneous
emission. However, it can return to the ground state by transferring its excess energy to a neon atom through
collision. At this point an exchange of energy takes place which can only happen when the two colliding
atoms have identical energy levels. This energy exchange is called as resonant energy transfer.

 One of the excited levels of neon (5s) is at 20.66 eV, which is nearly at the same level as of helium atom. Therefore,
resonant transfer of energy can occur between the excited helium atom and ground state neon atom. The kinetic
energy of helium atoms provides the extra additional 0.05eV required for excitation of the neon atoms. Helium
drops to the ground state after exciting neon atoms.

 This is the pumping mechanism in He-Ne laser. The role of helium atoms is to excite neon atoms and to cause
population inversion. The probability of energy transfer from helium atoms to neon atoms is more as there are 10
helium atoms per 1 neon atom in the gas mixture. The probability of reverse transfer of energy from neon to
helium is negligible.
 The upper state of neon atom is a metastable state. The lifetime of is s. Therefore,
neon atoms gets accumulate in this upper state. The (3p) is sparsely populated at
ordinary temperatures and has a lifetime of s. A state of population inversion is
established between and E3 levels. Random photons emitted spontaneously prompt
the stimulated emission and thus lasing occurs. The transition to E3 generates a laser
beam of red color of 6328 and other possible transitions produce 3.39 µm ( to ) and
1.15µm ( to ) laser beams respectively.

 From the level the neon atoms drop to (3s) level spontaneously. level is a metastable
state. As a result neon atoms tend to accumulate at level. It is necessary to bring these
atoms to the ground state (2p) quickly else the number of atoms at the ground state
will go on decreasing and laser will cease. The only way to bring the atoms to ground
state is by collisions. If the discharge tube is made narrow, the probability of atomic
collisions with the tube walls increases. Because of the frequent collisions with the
walls neon atoms drop to the ground level and will be available for excitation once
again.
Advantages
1. He-Ne laser emits laser light in the visible portion of the spectrum usually
632.8nm (red) and two other wavelengths 1.152 um and 3.391 um, which lies
infrared.
2. High stability in comparison to other lasers.
3. Is a low cost set up from most of the other lasers.
4. Operates without any damage at higher temperature.
5. Its construction is not very complex.
6. Provides inherent safety due to low power output.
 

Disadvantages
7. Requirement of high voltage is true.
8. It is a low gain device or its efficiency is low ( < 10-3).
9. It is a low power device as its output power is low. For 633nm transition, the
available output power may range between 1 and 10 mW for the tube lengths
ranging between 20-50 cm while for green transition, it is an order of
magnitude less.
 Laser Output
Continuous Output (CW) Pulsed Output (P)

Energy (Joules)
Energy (Watts)

                       

Time Time
watt (W) - Unit of power or radiant flux (1 watt = 1 joule per second).
Joule (J) - A unit of energy
Energy (Q) The capacity for doing work. Energy content is commonly used to characterize the
output from pulsed lasers and is generally expressed in Joules (J).
Irradiance (E) - Power per unit area, expressed in watts per square centimeter.
62
Continuous vs Pulsed Lasers
Pump Source : Excitation of the lasing atoms or molecules
by an external source of light (such as a lamp) or another
laser

The output of the laser light can be a continuous wave (cw)

if the pumping is continuous or pulsed if the pumping is
pulsed.

Pulsed lasers have very high peak intensities because the

laser intensity is concentrated in a very short time duration.
Applications of LASER
1. Industrial Applications: Lasers have a widespread use in welding, drilling, cutting (e.g. glass decoration,
trimming, milling), annealing, sputtering etc. Lasers have a vital role in cutting cloth, plywood, asbestos
sheets, ceramics, sheet metals etc. The heat treatment with the help of lasers strengthens the treated
area e.g. in valves, gears i.e. plays key role in automotive industry. Hole perforations by lasers or drilling is
another major use of lasers. Holes with small diameters can be drilled to a greater depths.

2. Military Applications: Used in laser range finders that can easily measure the target’s distance with great
accuracy and also to find the optimal trajectory of a missile and great accuracy of the hit.
3. Communication Applications: Used in fibre communication for the transmission of audios, video signals
and data to long distances without any losses and attenuation or distortion. Laser communication in open
space can also be developed between the satellites, satellites and aircrafts and stations on the ground.

4. In Astronomy: Lasers have a low divergence and has capacity to generate very short pulses (≈ 10 -12 sec).
Laser radar can be used to measure distances to the objects which reflects back. The laser light in the
direction of coming beam. In geophysics, lasers helped to find the parts of the continent which are moving
apart.
5. LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging): In RADAR, we use radio waves but in LIDAR visible light waves are
used. LIDAR helps us to find the rough approximation of size and shape of far spaced objects. LIDAR can also
serve us to monitor the direction of smoke trails, atmospheric changes and various emissions in the
atmosphere. The ‘rangefinder’ or the optical radar using laser is used by militaries to detect distant objects
and to get the information back when the radar signals are reflected back from these objects.
6. In Computers: Lasers are best used in laser printers. This gives a high printing speed and high
resolution of characters.

7.Medical: Used in eye surgery, plastic surgeries, skin injuries etc. Also used in destruction of kidney and
gall stones, cancer diagnosis, therapy, blood loss less surgery, to control hemorrhage, used in endoscopes
etc. The focused laser beam is capable of bloodless surgery as the beam not only cuts but also welds the
cut blood vessels. Such surgeries are sterile as it is contact less and is painless too.

8.Laser Gyroscope: This can measure very small angular velocities with a precision of 10 -3 degree/hour.
With the help of laser gyros altitude control of satellites orbiting spacecraft.

9.Laser Monitoring: Extreme variations in the surrounding environment can be detected using laser
technique. The peculiar property of directionality and monochromaticity can be used for the
measurement of the concentration of various pollutants.
 
Nuclear fusion
Medical
Long distance measurement • Optical Surgery
• General Surgery
Holography • Tattoo removal

Entertainment
• CD Players
• DVD Players
Applications of • Video Game Systems
Laser Telecommunications
Technology • Information tech.
• Holograms
• Satellites
Military
• Weapons
• Radar
Industry
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 Dentists
are read by use
lasers laser drills

Tattoo removal is
done using lasers

Laser tech. is used in

printers, copiers, and
scanners

DVD players read

DVD’s using lasers
Laser pointers can
enhance
Video game systems such
CD-Audio is presentations Bar codes in as PlayStation 2 utilize
read by a laser grocery stores are lasers
scanned by lasers
 He-Ne Energy level diagram
• The left side of the representation shows the lower levels of the helium atoms.The energy scale is
interrupted and that there is a larger difference in energy in the recombination process than is evident
in the diagram.

• A characteristic of helium is that its first states to be excited, 21S1 and 21S0 are metastable, i.e.
optical transitions to the ground state 11S0 are not allowed, because this would violate the selection
rules for optical transitions. As a result of gas discharge, these states are populated by electron
collisions

• A collision is called a collision of the second type if one of the colliding bodies transfers energy to the
other so that a transition from the previous energy state to the next higher or lower takes place. Apart
from the electron collision of the second type there is also the atomic collision of the second type. In
the latter, an excited helium atom reaches the initial state because its energy has been used in the
excitation of a Ne atom. Both these processes form the basis for the production of a population
inversion in the Ne system.