Laser (Light Amplification by

Stimulated Emission of Radiation)

BY SUMITESH MAJUMDER
 What is Laser?
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of
Radiation

• A device produces a coherent beam of optical radiation

by stimulating electronic, ionic, or molecular transitions
to higher energy levels
• Mainly used in Single Mode Systems
• Light Emission range: 5 to 10 degrees
• Require Higher complex driver circuitry than LEDs
• Laser action occurs from three main processes: photon
absorption, spontaneous emission, and stimulated
emission.
 Properties of Laser
• Monochromatic
Concentrate in a narrow range of wavelengths
(one specific colour).

• Coherent
All the emitted photons bear a constant phase
relationship with each other in both time and
phase

• Directional
A very tight beam which is very strong and
concentrated.
 Basic concepts for a laser
• Absorption

• Spontaneous Emission

• Stimulated Emission

• Population inversion
 Absorption

• Energy is absorbed by an atom, the electrons

are excited into vacant energy shells.
 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.
 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
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

Stimulated Emission
 Laser Diode Optical Cavity
• One reflecting mirror is at one end while the other end
has a partially reflecting mirror for partial emission
• Remaining power reflects through cavity for amplification
of certain wavelengths, a process known as optical
feedback.
• Construction very similar to the ELEDs.
Mirror Reflections
The operation of the Laser
The operation of the Laser

E4
E3
E2

E1
The operation of the Laser

E4
E3
E2

E1
absorption
The operation of the Laser

E4
E3
E2

E1

Spontaneous emission
 The operation of the Laser

Spontaneous emission

1. Incoherent light

2. Accidental direction
The operation of the Laser

E4
E3
E2

E1
The operation of the Laser

E4
E3
E2

E1
Stimulated emission
 The operation of the Laser

Light: Coherent, polarized

The stimulating and emitted
photons have the same:
frequency
phase
direction
How a Laser Works
Condition for the laser operation E2

E1
If n1 > n2
• radiation is mostly absorbed absorbowane
• spontaneous radiation dominates.
if n2 >> n1 - population inversion
• most atoms occupy level E2, weak absorption

• stimulated emission prevails

• light is amplified

Necessary condition:
population inversion
 Population Inversion
• A state in which a substance has been
energized, or excited to specific energy levels.
• More atoms or molecules are in a higher excited
state.
• The process of producing a population inversion
is called pumping.
• Examples:
→by lamps of appropriate intensity
→by electrical discharge
 Boltzmann’s equation
E2

E1

n2  ( E2  E1 ) 
 exp  
n1  kT 

• n1 - the number of electrons of

example: T=3000 K E2-E1=2.0 eV
energy E1
n2 4
• n2 - the number of electrons of  4.4 10
energy E2
n1
 E2
Einstein’s relation

Probability of stimulated absorption R1-2 E1

R1-2 = r (n)n1 B1-2 where spectral density is r (n)

& Einstein coeff. of absorbtion is B1-2

Probability of stimulated and spontaneous emission :

R2-1 = r (n) n2B2-1 + n2A2-1

Einstein coeff. of stimulated and spontaneous emission are B2-1& A2-1
Assumption : For a system in thermal equilibrium, the upword and downword
transition rate must be equal :

R1-2 = R2-1 n1r (n) B1-2 = n2 (r (n) B2-1 + A2-1)

A21 / B21

r n  =
n1 B12
1
n2 B21
 n1
According to Boltzman statistics:  exp( E2  E1 ) / kT  exp(hn / kT )
n2

A21 / B21 8hn 3 / c 3

r (n) = =
B1 2 hn exp(hn / kT )  1
exp( )  1
B21 kT

Planck’s law

A21 8hn 3
B1-2/B2-1 = 1 
B21 c3
The probability of spontaneous emission A2-1 /the probability of stimulated
emission B2-1r(n :

A21
 exp(hn / kT )  1
B21r (n )

1. Visible photons, energy: 1.6eV – 3.1eV.

2. kT at 300K ~ 0.025eV.

3. stimulated emission dominates solely when hn/kT <<1!

(for microwaves: hn <0.0015eV)

The frequency of emission acts to the absorption:

n2 A21  n2 B21r (n ) A21 n2 n2
x  [1  ] 
n1B1 2 r (n ) B21r (n ) n1 n1

if hn /kT <<1.
x~ n2/n1
 Two-level Laser System

• Unimaginable
as absorption and stimulated processes
neutralize one another.

• The material becomes transparent.

Two level system

E2 E2

hn hn
hn

hn=E2-E1
E1 E1

absorption Spontaneous Stimulated

emission
emission
Three-level Laser System
• Initially excited to a
short-lived high-energy
state .
• Then quickly decay to
the intermediate
metastable level.
• Population inversion is
created between lower
ground state and a
higher-energy
metastable state.
Three-level Laser System
 3   2 1   2
Nd:YAG laser
  1.06  m
τ2  2.3 104 s

He-Ne laser
1  3.39  m 2  0.6328  m
3  1.15  m

τ  100ns τ1  10ns
2
Four-level Laser System

• Laser transition takes

place between the
third and second
excited states.

• Rapid depopulation of
the lower laser level.
Four-level Laser System

 3   2

Ruby laser

1  0.6943m
2  0.6928m

τ  10 s τ  3  10 s
7 3

3 2
Multimode Laser Output
Spectrum (Center Wavelength)

Mode
Separation g(λ)

Longitudinal
Modes
Lasing Characteristics
• Lasing threshold is
minimum current that must
occur for stimulated
emission
• Any current produced below
threshold will result in
spontaneous emission only
• At currents below threshold
LDs operate as ELEDs
• LDs need more current to
operate and more current
means more complex drive
circuitry with higher heat
dissipation
• Laser diodes are much
more temperature sensitive
than LEDs
Fabry-Perot Laser
(resonator) cavity
Modulation of Optical Sources

• Optical sources can be modulated either

directly or externally.
• Direct modulation is done by modulating
the driving current according to the
message signal (digital or analog)
• In external modulation, the laser is emits
continuous wave (CW) light and the
modulation is done in the fiber
 Types of Optical Modulation
• Direct modulation is done by
superimposing the modulating (message)
signal on the driving current
• External modulation, is done after the light
is generated; the laser is driven by a dc
current and the modulation is done after
that separately
• Both these schemes can be done with
either digital or analog modulating signals
 Direct Modulation

• The message signal (ac) is superimposed on

the bias current (dc) which modulates the laser
• Robust and simple, hence widely used
• Issues: laser resonance frequency, chirp, turn
on delay, clipping and laser nonlinearity
 Laser Construction

• A pump source

• A gain medium or laser medium.

• Mirrors forming an optical resonator.

Laser Construction
 Pump Source
• Provides energy to the laser system
• Examples: electrical discharges, flashlamps,
arc lamps and chemical reactions.
• The type of pump source used depends on
the gain medium.
→A helium-neon (HeNe) laser uses an
electrical discharge in the helium-neon
gas mixture.
→Excimer lasers use a chemical reaction.
 gain medium
• Major determining factor of the wavelength of
operation of the laser.
• Excited by the pump source to produce a
population inversion.
• Where spontaneous and stimulated emission
of photons takes place.
• Example:
solid, liquid, gas and semiconductor.
 Optical Resonator
• Two parallel mirrors placed around the
gain medium.
• Light is reflected by the mirrors back into
the medium and is amplified .
• The design and alignment of the mirrors
with respect to the medium is crucial.
• Spinning mirrors, modulators, filters and
absorbers may be added to produce a
variety of effects on the laser output.
 Laser Types
• According to the active material:
solid-state, liquid, gas, excimer or
semiconductor lasers.

• According to the wavelength:

infra-red, visible, ultra-violet (UV) or x-ray
lasers.
 Solid-state Laser

• Example: Ruby Laser

• Operation wavelength: 694.3 nm (IR)
• 3 level system: absorbs green/blue

•Gain Medium: crystal of aluminum oxide (Al2O3)

with small part of atoms of aluminum is replaced
with Cr3+ ions.
•Pump source: flash lamp
•The ends of ruby rod serve as laser mirrors.
Ruby laser

Al2O3
Cr+
Energy

rapid decay

LASING
How a laser works?
Ruby laser

First laser: Ted Maiman

Hughes Research Labs
1960
 Liquid Laser
• Example: dye laser
• Gain medium: complex organic dyes, such
as rhodamine 6G, in liquid solution or
suspension.
• Pump source: other lasers or flashlamp.
• Can be used for a wide range of
wavelengths as the tuning range of the
laser depends on the exact dye used.
• Suitable for tunable lasers.
 dye laser

Schematic diagram of a dye laser

A dye laser can be considered to be basically a four-level system.

The energy absorbed by the dye creates a population inversion, moving the
electrons into an excited state.
 Gas Laser
• Example: Helium-neon laser (He-Ne laser)
• Operation wavelength: 632.8 nm
• Pump source: electrical discharge
• Gain medium : ratio 5:1 mixture of helium and neon
gases
 He-Ne laser

1  3.39 μm 2  0.6328 μm 3  1.15 μm

 Semiconductor laser
Semiconductor laser is a laser in which semiconductor serves as
photon source.

Semiconductors (typically direct band-gap semiconductors) can be

used as small, highly efficient photon sources.
 Applications of laser
• 1. Scientific
a. Spectroscopy
b. Lunar laser ranging
c. Photochemistry
d. Laser cooling
e. Nuclear fusion
 Applications of laser
2 Military
a. Death ray
b. Defensive applications
c. Strategic defense initiative
d. Laser sight
e. Illuminator
f. Rangefinder
g. Target designator
 Applications of laser
• 3. Medical
a. eye surgery
b. cosmetic surgery
 Applications of laser
• 4. Industry & Commercial
a. cutting, welding, marking
b. CD player, DVD player
c. Laser printers, laser pointers
d. Photolithography
e. Laser light display