LASERS

Introduction:

It is a device to produce a powerful monochromatic narrow beam of light in which the waves are
convergent. Laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Maser
is an acronym of microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The light emitted
from the conventional light source (eg: sodium lamp, candle) is said to be incoherent. Because the
radiation emitted from different atom do not have any definite phase relationship with each other.
Lasers are much important because the light sources having high monochromaticity, high intensity,
high directionality and high coherence. In the laser the principal of maser is employed in the
frequency range of 1014to 1015Hz and it is termed as optical maser. Laser principle now a day is
extended up to γ-rays hence Gamma ray lasers are called Grazers. The first laser was demonstrated
by T. H. Maiman in the year 1960 using ruby crystal as active medium.

Stimulated absorption:
An Electron in the lower energy level (or) ground state energy level E1 absorbs the incident
photon and goes to excited state (E2) as shown in fig1. this process is called absorption.
Spontaneous emission:
The atom in the excited state returns to ground state by emitting a photon of energy hv = E2-E1,
without applying an external energy (spontaneously). This process is called as spontaneous
emission.
Stimulated Emission:
The atom in the excited state can reach metastable without any emission of radiation (Non-
Radiative transition) state also return to the ground state by applying external energy or
inducement of photon there by emitting two photons which are having high [Link] process
is called as stimulated emission.
 Fig 1: (a) Stimulated absorption, (b) Spontaneous emission and (c) Stimulated emission

Differences between spontaneous emission and stimulated emission:

Spontaneous Emission Stimulated Emission
[Link] takes place without any 1. It takes place with the help of any
external energy external energy
[Link] is incoherent radiation 2. It is Coherent radiation
3. It is Low intense and less directional 3. It is High intense and more directional
4. It is Poly chromatic radiation 4. It is Monochromatic radiation
[Link] is postulated by Bohr 5. It is postulated by Einstein
[Link]:- Light from Na, Hg lamp [Link]:- Light from Ruby, He-Ne laser

Characteristics of laser:

The four characteristics of a laser radiation over conventional light sources are

(i) Highly monochromatic

(ii) High directional
(iii) Highly coherent
(iv) High intensity
Highly monochromatic:

The band width of ordinary light is about 1000 A0. The band width of laser light is about 10 A0.
The narrow band width of a laser light is called on high monochromaticity.

High directional:

The conventional light sources like lamp, torch light, sodium lamp emits light in all directions.
This is called divergence. Laser in the other hand emits light only in one direction. This is called
directionality of laser light.

Light from ordinary light spreads in about few kilometers.

Light from laser spreads to a diameter less than 1 cm for many kilometers. The directionality of
laser beam is given by (or) expressed in divergence.

The divergence ∆θ = (r2 –r1) /d2-d1

Where r2, r1 are the radius of laser beam spots,

d2, d1 are distances respectively from the laser source.

Highly coherent:

The light that emerges from a conventional light source is a mix up of random short wave trains.
The resultant light is incoherent.

In case of laser a large number of identical photons are emitted through stimulated emissions and
therefore they will be in phase with each other. The resultant light exhibits a high degree of
coherence.

High intensity:

Intensity of a wave is the energy per unit time flowing through a unit area.

The light from an ordinary source spreads out uniformly in all directions and from spherical wave
fronts around it. But in case of a laser light, energy is in small region of space and in a small
wavelength and hence is said to be of great intensity. Even a 1watt laser is more intense than 100
watt ordinary lamp.

Einstein’s coefficients and relation between them:

Based on Einstein’s theory of radiation one can get the expression for probability for stimulated
emission of radiation to the probability for spontaneous emission of radiation under thermal
equilibrium.

Let us consider a system with two energy levels E1 (ground state) and E2 (excited state). Let N1,
N2 be the number of atoms per unit volume in the energy levels E1 and E2 respectively.

When photons interact with atoms both upward (absorption) and downward (emission) transition
occur.

Upward transition (Stimulated absorption):

Stimulated absorption rate depends on the number of available in the lower energy state for
absorption of photons and also depends on the energy density of interacting radiation ρ(υ)dυ.

i.e, stimulated absorption rate  N1

 ρ(υ)dυ

∴ Stimulated absorption rate = B12 N1 ρ(υ)dυ ………………. (1)

Where ‘B12’ is proportionality constant and is known as Einstein co-efficient of stimulated

absorption.

Downward transition:

After the completion of life time the atoms of excited state de-excite to lower energy level
spontaneously and emit photons. This spontaneous emission rate depends on the number of atoms
in the excited energy state.

i.e, spontaneous emission rate  N2

∴ Spontaneous emission rate = A21 N2 ………………. (2)

Where ‘A21’ is proportionality constant and is known as Einstein co-efficient of spontaneous

emission.

Before completion of life time of atom in its excited state if external energy is supplied then the
atoms stimulates and de-excites to lower energy state and emits high energy photons.

Stimulated emission rate depends on both the number of atoms in the excited state and the energy
density of radiation.
i.e, stimulated emission rate  N2

 ρ(υ)dυ

∴ Stimulated absorption rate = B21 N2 ρ(υ)dυ ………………. (3)

Where ‘B21’ is proportionality constant and is known as Einstein co-efficient of stimulated

emission.

At equilibrium the upward and down ward transition rates must be equal.

Hence,

N1 B12  ( )  N 2 A21  N 2 B21  ( )...................(4)

 ( )[ N1 B12  N 2 B21 ]  N 2 A21

N 2 A21
 ( ) 
NB
N 2 B21[ 1 12  1]
N 2 B21
A21 / B21
  ( )  .....................(5)
N1 B12
[ .  1]
N 2 B21

According to Maxwell Boltzmann distribution law the no of atoms occupying the ith energy level
is given by

 Ei
N i  N 0 exp[ ]...........................(6)
KT
E
 N1  N 0 exp[ 1 ]
KT
E
N 2  N 0 exp[ 2 ]
KT

E
N 0 exp[ 1 ]

N1
 KT  exp[ E2  E1 ]
N 2 N exp[  E2 ] KT
0
KT
 N1 h
 exp[ ]( E2  E1  h ).............(7)
N2 KT
A21 / B21
 ( )  .............(8)
h B12
[exp( ).  1]
KT B21

According to Planks law of black body radiation we have

8 h 3 / C 3
 ( )  ..................(9)
h
[exp( )  1]
KT

Comparing equations (8) and (9)

A21 8 h 3
 ............(10)
B21 C3
B12
 1............(11)
B21

Equations (10) and (11) are known as Einstein relations.

Components of laser:

The essential components of laser are

(i) Active medium

(ii) Pumping agent
(iii) Optical resonator

Fig2: Components of laser

Active medium: The active medium is the material in which the population inversion and lasing
action takes place. The medium hosting the active centers is called active medium.

Pump: The pump is an external source that supplies energy needed to transfer the laser medium
into the state of population inversion.

Optical resonator: A pair of optically plane parallel mirrors, enclosing laser medium in between
them is known as optical resonant cavity.

Population inversion:

Generally, the number of atoms in higher energy level is less than the no of atoms in lowest energy
level. The process of making of higher population in higher energy level than the population in
lower energy level is known as population inversion.

Let us consider a system with two energy levels E1 (ground state) and E2 (excited state). Let N1,
N2 be the number of atoms per unit volume in the energy levels E1 and E2 respectively.

If the system is under population inversion condition N2>>N1

Population inversion is achieved by pumping the atoms from the ground level to the higher energy
level through optical (or) electrical pumping. It is easily achieved at the mata stable state, where
the life time of the atoms is higher than that in other higher energy levels.

Types of lasers:

Lasers are broadly classified into three types

(i) Solid state laser - Ruby laser, Nd-YAG laser

(ii) Gas laser - He-Ne laser, CO2 laser
(iii) Semiconductor laser - GaAs laser

Nd:YAG laser:
Nd: YAG laser is a neodymium based laser. Nd stands for Neodymium (rare earth element)
and YAG stands for Yttrium Aluminum Garnet ( Y3Al5 O12) . It is a four level solid state laser.

Principle:

The active medium Nd: YAG rod is optically pumped by Krypton flash tubes. The Neodymium
ions (Nd3+) are raised to excited levels. During the transition from meta stable state to ground
state, a laser beam of wavelength 1.064μm is emitted.