LASER Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (Yjis name was coined by Gordon Gould in the 1950)

Agenda
Revision of light properties Types of emissions (Qualitative & Quantitative) Population inversion Amplification Process LASER equipment LASER properties Types of LASER & uses

Properties of light (Revision) Wave length Frequency Velocity Monochromatic (Single frequency) Coherent Polarized

Properties of wave Amplitude Wave length

Frequency = number of oscillations per second Wave length is distance traveled by wave in one oscillation Speed of wave = Frequency X wave length m/sec

Polarization is possible only for transverse waves Transverse vibrations in all directions

Polarized light wave having only single plane of vibrations

Rotation of this polarizer plate allows full light to pass thru in one orientation & zero light at 900 position

Polarizer plate allows only single plane vibrations to go thru

Wave Characteristics :
Frequency : indicates type of wave
A single frequency light wave is called Monochromatic In light, waves of different frequency give different colours

Monochromatic & Coherent waves

Start point of oscillations in both waves marked is same

Monochromatic & Non coherent waves Start point of both waves marked is not same.

Agenda
Revision of light properties Types of Emissions (Qualitative & Quantitative) Population Inversion Amplification Process LASER equipment LASER Properties Types of LASER & uses

Normal Spontaneous emissions Photons are emitted randomly No phase relationship exist between them. Hence light emitted is non coherent & un polarized.

Recap Until now we have studied how a photon interacts with electron at ground state However a photon can interacts with a electron which is already in excited state This interaction is totally different Photon can not give energy to electron as the electron is already at higher energy state Hence photon will not disappears This interaction produces LASSER

Interaction of photon with excited state electron Photon stimulates the excited electron to jumps to ground state producing a second photon

identical to itself
The intruding photon continues to exist

Thus two identical photons come into

existences. They are coherent, monochromatic & polarized This process is known as stimulated emission.

stimulated emission

Until now we have done qualitative analysis of a photon with electron at ground or excited state

Now we will do quantitative analysis same. ie If N photons are available under a given condition, then how many will interact with Electron at ground state Electron in excited state

 As number of electron & photons is very high

& many random interactions are possible our

study is based on statistical analysis Scientist Boltzmann found formula. Using it we can calculate that, in a given sample how many atoms have electrons in ground state and in excited state

Consider a gas sample

Having N number atoms having one electron This electron can have two energy states The ground state, with energy E1; The excited state, with energy E2, withE2 >E1.

Let N1 = Atoms have electrons in ground state Let N2 = Atoms have electron in excited state

 Using Boltzmann formula N2 / N1 ratio can be calculated if there is no external excitation. As per the law At room temperature most atoms are in the

ground state.
As T increases, N2 (excited electrons)

increases, but N2 can never exceeds N1

even at infinite temperature, In other words, N2/N1 < 1 without external excitation

Agenda
Revision of light properties Types of Emissions (Qualitative & Quantitative) Population Inversion Amplification Process Laser equipment Laser Properties Types of Laser & uses

The probability of stimulation emission rate is proportional to

Intensity of external light photons

Number of atoms N2 in the excited state,

Albert Einstein proved that for a photon

Probability of Stimulation emission and

absorption by a ground state atom are same.

 In normal condition (N1 > N2), hence absorption dominates and there can not be accumulation

of photons.
For N1 = N2, the rate of absorption of light exactly balances the rate of emission; the medium is then said to be optically transparent. For N1 < N2, stimulation emission process dominates, photon accumulate and light in the system undergoes a net increase in intensity.

 Thus to produce a high intensity light stimulated emissions must dominate absorptions, For this we must have a state where N2/N1 > 1 In other words more atoms should have exited electrons than atoms with ground state This is called population inversion & is essential to produce LASER

How to achieve population inversion Theoretically ,in a atom electrons can not jump in some orbits (called forbidden orbits). This depends on spin momentum of electron But in reality due to other effects, electron do

jump into forbidden orbit. From this orbits

Jump to lower orbit happens at slower rate

But Stimulated emission can occur .

We use this property to get population inversion

 There are many other ways of creating population inversion The frequency of out coming laser depend on medium This phenomenon can occur over full electro magnetic spectrum We call LASER if this frequency is in visible range

population inversion

Forbidden orbit

Laser transmission

L1 Ground state, E1, N1

1.Electron are excited from L1 to L3 Emission involves L3 to L1 Spontaneous & fast L3 to L2 Radiation less jump L2 to L1 Slower jump

In a continuous excitation process electron accumulate at level L2 due to slower rate .After some time N2 >N1, creating required population inversion between L2-L1 level

How to achieve amplification 1.Now if we have a exiting electro of Forbidden orbit energy = E2 E1 2.It will stimulate L2 to L1 jump, creating accumulation of Laser transmission photon with energy E=E2-E1 L1 Ground state, E1, N1 These accumulated photon come out of medium as a strong coherent ,monochromatic LASER beam of frequency = ( E2-E1) / h
Lesser energy level

Agenda
Revision of light properties Types of Emissions (Qualitative & Quantitative) Population Inversion Amplification Process & Laser properties Laser equipment Types of Laser & uses

How amplification takes place If the number of photons being stimulated per unit time is greater than the number of photons being absorbed, then the net result is a continuous accumulation of identical photons in the medium . Thus intensity of light in the media increases. Thus amplification takes place

 Stimulated photons are reflected back into

system using two mirrors called optical

resonator

These photon add up to new stimulated photon

Thus density of identical photon increases

After reaching a level theses photons come out

of one end thru partially reflective mirror

The optical resonator, or optical cavity

Mirrors with optical coating are placed around

the gain medium to pump back photons into

system. Coating decides reflective properties

One - A high reflector, Other-A partial reflector (output coupler) laser beam comes thru this mirror.
Out put coupler

All stimulate photon come out spontaneously as highly energy intense light pulses Pluses are generated very fast hence we see a continuous LASER beam The energy of beam & its frequency (color) can be decided by suitably selecting Laser medium Type of mirrors Pumping arrangement Energy can be as high that it can cut 50mm steel sheet or trigger a nuclear reaction

LASER beam properties

It is monochromatic, coherent, & polarized

It is parallel (all photons having exactly the

same direction. It travels hundreds of kilo

meters without loosing intensity Hence energy get transmitted efficiently Used to focus over long distance Have high intensity - Since the emission of all photons in a pulse is synchronized energy concentration is very high

Agenda
Revision of light properties Types of Emissions (Qualitative & Quantitative) Population Inversion Amplification Process Functioning of Laser equipment Laser Properties Types of Laser & uses

Functioning of a actual lesser

( Energy source or )

Pump source: It provides energy laser system.

Examples of pump sources Electrical discharges (Helium-Nion Laser) Flash lamps ( Nd:YAG laser- xenon lamp ) Diode lasers, Arc lamps, Light from another laser, Chemical reactions, (Excimer lasers)

Gain medium; Laser is produced in this medium)

It determining wavelength, intensity of laser Atoms of gain medium are excited by the pump source to produce a population inversion Examples of different gain media include:

Semiconductors
Metal doped crystals

Certain gases
Dye solutions

Agenda
Revision of light properties Types of Emissions (Qualitative & Quantitative) Population Inversion Amplification Process Laser equipement Laser Properties Types of Laser & uses

Types of LASER Diode lasers:( typical red laser pointers) Lightweight, cheap, durable, Used in CD player Mediumsemiconductor, Pumping-Electricity Have an inferior coherence Solid state lasers (Ex. Green laser pointers) Expensive, easy to maintain, Small Used for missile or bomb guidance systems. Medium: metal ions doped in solid crystals Pumping flash lamps or diode

Gas lasers;( First developed Ammonium maser 1954) Easy to maintain.CO2-lasers are most powerful Used in industrial, medical applications. Mediums Helium-Neon (Red), Krypton( blue, green,red) He-Cd - (Cadmium - blue) CO2-Laser (infrared). Dye lasers: Narrow frequency, highly coherent & intense. Difficult to maintain, expensive, Medium- a dye solution ( ex Rhodamine ) Pumping - other lasers)..

Uses of Laser Diode (red color) or infrared laser To read CDs, As pointers As a switch in alarm systems In computer laser printers In telephonic communication To measure distances ,time In medicine for surgery (CO2-laser, infrared) NdYAG, infrared lasers : For Navigation of planes and missiles CO2-lasers: In welding, cutting and drilling materials Gas lasers : Used in holography

Laser role in printer

Charges drum + ve Sharp lesser move on rotating drum & draw letters in form of dots by discharging the points on the drum as per (called electric image) Further ink is deposited on drum with static charge attraction & printing is done

Safety precautions
Lasers are dangerous above a certain intensity. Maximum risk is for eyes. Damages Retina ) Laser-pointers and show-lasers (very low power) are relatively safe

But even these laser should not be focused

in eye, Eye lens focus them further on retina

Generally lasers are harmless to the skin, but

high powered focused lasers can cause severe burns.

Singapore Laser show in sky

Laser show in sky

End