UNIT-IV A

LASERS
Characteristics of Lasers, Spontaneous and Stimulated Emission of
Radiation, Meta-stable State, Population Inversion, Lasing Action,
Nd YAG Laser, Helium-Neon Laser, Co2 Laser, Applications of
Lasers.
ABBREVATION OF LASER
LASER PRODUCTS
Laser Scanners

Laser Pointers
Characteristics of LASER:

LASER when compared with any conventional light (Sun light or

tube light etc.) Laser posses few outstanding characteristics. They are
1). Monochromaticity
2). Directionality
3). Intensity and
4). Coherence.
1). Monochromaticity:
The light emitted from a laser is monochromatic.

Due to Stimulated emission, the light emitted by a laser is more

monochromatic than that of any conventional monochromatic source(Ex:
Sodium lamp).
2). Directionality:
 Lasers emit light that is highly directional, that is, laser light is emitted as
a relatively narrow beam in a specific direction.

 The directionality of a laser beam has been expressed in terms of

divergence.
To obtain high directionality there should be low divergence.
For a Laser, the beam spread is less than 0.01mm for every 1 meter but
for ordinary light is 0.5m for every 1 meter.
3). Intensity:
 The laser light is more intense than conventional light.
The number of photons coming out from a laser per second per unit area is
given by

P
n
hr 2
4). Coherence:
Laser radiation has high degree of coherence.
The word coherence means that the radiations emitted by atoms, molecules,
or photons in the source have same phase, same direction, same plane of
polarization, and same wavelength or colour (monochromatic).

•Incoherent light waves •Coherent light waves

Note: Coherence is expressed in terms of ordering of light field (amplitude

and phase).
 Coherence is of two types
Temporal Coherence and Spatial Coherence:
Temporal Coherence:
If it is possible to estimate the amplitude and phase at a point on the wave
with respect to another point on the same wave, then the waves are said to
be the waves are temporally coherence.
Spatial Coherence:
If it is possible to estimate the amplitude and phase at a point on the wave
with respect to another point on a second wave, then the waves are said to
be spatially coherence.
ATOMIC EXCITATION AND ENERGY STATES :
When light interacts with matter three types of atomic mechanisms takes
place in a material
1. Stimulated Absorption
2. Spontaneous Emission
3. Stimulated Emission
Stimulated Absorption:
In absorption suitable amount of energy is absorbed by the atoms of the
ground state to get excited to the higher energy states.

Absorption process: (a) before absorption and (b) after absorption

Spontaneous emission:
In spontaneous emission the excited atoms emit photon to come back to the
lower energy state without any external impetus.

Spontaneous emission process

Some important features of spontaneous emission are as follows:
(i)It is very difficult to control the process of spontaneous emission from outside.
(ii) It is essentially probabilistic in nature.
(iii) The emitted photons (radiation) during the process of spontaneous emission
have different direction of propagation, initial phase, and plane of polarization.
(iv) The light emitted in the spontaneous emission is incoherent and non-
monochromatic.
(v) The intensity of light decreases rapidly with distance from the source.
(vi) The emitted light during the process of spontaneous emission is incoherent.
Stimulated emission:
In stimulated emission, with the influence of suitable energy impetus,
excited atom is triggered to the lower energy state, with the release of
appropriate energy.

Stimulated emission process

Some important features of stimulated emission are as follows:
(i)The process of stimulated emission can be controlled from outside.
(ii) The emitted photon and incident photon have same direction, phase,
frequency and plane of polarization.
(iii) The light produced during stimulated emission is coherent and
monochromatic
 Distinction between spontaneous and stimulated emission:
Spontaneous Emission Stimulated emission
• Emission takes place without any • Emission takes place with the help
stimulus energy. of stimulus energy.
• Single photon is emitted. • Two photons are emitted.
• Incoherent radiation. • Coherent radiation.
• Low intense and less directional. • High intense and more directional.
• Poly chromatic radiation. • Monochromatic radiation.
• More angular spread. • Less angular spread.
• Postulated by Bohr. • Postulated by Einstein.
• Ex: Light from Sodium or • Ex: Light from Ruby or He-Ne
mercury vapour lamp laser
Life time:
The duration of time spent by an atom in the excited state is known as life
time of that energy state.
For example, the life time for hydrogen atom is 10-8 sec.
Population:
The number of atoms per unit volume in an energy level is known as
population of that energy level.
E2>E1 and N1>N2, i.e., the population of lower energy level is more.
Population Inversion:
The stage of making the population of the higher energy level to be greater
than the population of the lower energy level is known as population
Inversion. i.e., E2>E1 and N1<N2.
Meta-stable state:
The excited state, which has long life time is know as meta stable state.
Pumping:
“The process of supplying suitable form of energy to a system to achieve
population inversion is called pumping”.
In several ways pumping can be done. Most common used pumping
methods are
1). Optical Pumping,
2). Direct Electron Excitation or Electric Discharge,
3). In-elastic atom-atom Collision and
4). Chemical Reaction.
(1) Optical Pumping:
In optical pumping, a light source (suitable photons) is used to supply
luminous energy. Most often this energy is given in the form of short
flashes of light.
(2 )Electric Discharge:
In this method of pumping direct electron excitation occurs through an
electric discharge.
This method is preferred in gaseous ion lasers. An electric current flowing
through the gas excites the atoms to the excited level from where they drop
to the metastable upper laser level leading to population inversion.
(3) Inelastic Collisions Between Atoms:
In an important class of lasers, pumping by electrical discharge provides the
initial excitation which raises one type of atoms to their excited states.
These atoms collide in-elastically with another atoms and provide them
enough energy to excite them to the higher energy level and thus help in
population inversion. This type of pumping occurs in helium–neon laser.
(4) Chemical Reaction:
In chemical lasers, radiations come out of a chemical reaction, without any
need of other energy source.
Three level Laser system
E2
E
Fast decay ( Radiation less)
Meta stable level
E1
pumping Laser transition
E0 N

If the collection of atoms is intensely pumped (a large number of

atoms are excited) through stimulated absorption to the highest energy
level E2. With intense pumping from E0 to E2, because of rapid decay to
E1 (meta-stable state where has longer life time), it is possible to bring
non-equilibrium distribution of atoms where E1 more populated than E0
(N1N2) and laser transition takes place between E1 and E2.
 Four level laser system

E
E3 Fast decay
E2
Meta stable state
pumping
Laser transition

E1
E0 N
Lasing Action:
In stimulated emission, the emitted photon travels in the same direction as
that of incident photon(as shown in fig.). These two photons again stimulate
two more photons. As a result four photons are released. In a similar way a
chain reaction or avalanche effect is produced. This phenomenon is known
as Lasing Action.
So, a monochromatic, intense and coherent beam having the same
frequency as that of incident beam is obtained. This is called Laser beam.
This is the principle of working of a Laser.
E2 E2

E1 E1
Block Diagram of a Laser System:
The Block diagram of Laser System contains three components.
Source of Energy(Pump):
It is an external source which supplies energy to obtain population inversion.
The pump can be optical, electrical or thermal. In Ruby Laser, we use optical
pumping and in He -Ne Laser, we use electric discharge pumping.
Active Medium:
It is a medium in which meta-stable state is present. In meta-stable state, only
the population inversion takes place. It can be a Solid, Liquid, Gas or
Semiconductor.
Optical or Resonant Cavity:
It consists of a pair of plane or spherical mirrors having common principal
axis. The reflection coefficient of one of the mirrors is very near to 1 and
that of the other is kept less than 1. The resonator is basically a feed-back
device, that directs the photons back and forth through the laser medium.
 VARIOUS TYPES OF LASERS ARE NOW IN OPERATION
WHICH CAN BE BROADLY CLASSIFIED INTO:
 SOLID STATE LASERS
Ex: Nd:YAG
 GASEOUS LASERS
Ex: He-Ne, CO2 lasers etc…
Nd: YAG Laser
Nd: YAG laser is a neodymium based laser. Nd stands for Neodymium (rare earth element)
and YAG stands for Yttrium Aluminium Garnet ( Y3 Al5 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.
Construction:
A small amount of Yttrium ions (Y3+ ) is replaced by Neodymium (Nd3+ ) in the active element
of Nd: YAG crystal. This active element is cut into a cylindrical rod. The ends of the
cylindrical rod are highly polished and they are made optically flat and parallel. This
cylindrical rod and a pumping source (flash tube) are placed inside a highly (reflecting)
elliptical reflector cavity.
The optical resonator is formed by using two external reflecting mirrors. One mirror (M1) is
Working:
Figure shows the energy level diagram for Nd:YAG laser. These energy levels are
those of Neodymium (Nd3+ ) ions.
1. When the krypton flash lamp is switched on, by the absorption of light
radiation of wavelength 0.73μm and 0.8μm, the Neodymium(Nd 3+)
atoms are raised from ground level E0 to upper levels E3and E4 (Pump
bands).
2. The Neodymium ions atoms make a transition from these energy levels E2 by
non-radiative transition. E2 is a metastable state.
3. The Neodymium ions are collected in the level E2 and the population inversion is

achieved between E2 and E1.

4. An ion makes a spontaneous transition from E2 to E1, emitting a photon
of energy hγ. This emitted photon will trigger a chain of stimulated photons
between E2 and E1.
5. The photons thus generated travel back and forth between two mirrors and grow
in strength. After some time, the photon number multiplies more rapidly.
6. After enough strength is attained (condition for laser being satisfied),
an intense laser light of wavelength 1.06μm is emitted through the partial
reflector. It corresponds to the transition from E2 to E1.
APPLICATIONS
1.Nd:YAG lasers can operate in both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed
modes. The ability to operate in both modes makes Nd:YAG lasers more
versatile than other solid state lasers.
2.It finds many applications in range finders and illuminators.
3. It is widely used in engineering applications such as resistor, trimming
scribing, micro machining operations as well as welding, drilling etc.
4. It finds many medical applications such as endoscopy, urology, neurosurgery,
ENT, gynecology, dermatology, dental surgery and general surgery.
 CO2 Molecular gas laser:
It was the first molecular gas laser developed by Indian born American scientist
Prof.C.K.N.Pillai.
It is a four level laser and it operates at 10.6 μm in the far IR region. It is a very efficient
laser. In a molecular gas laser, laser action is achieved by transitions between vibrational
and rotational levels of molecules. Its construction is simple and the output of this laser
is continuous
Energy states of CO2 molecules.
A carbon dioxide molecule has a carbon atom at the center with two oxygen atoms
attached, one at both sides. Such a molecule exhibits three independent modes of
vibrations. They are
a) Symmetric stretching mode.
b) Bending mode
c) Asymmetric stretching mode.
Principle:
The active medium is a gas mixture of CO2, N2 and He. The laser transition takes place
between the vibrational states of CO2 molecules.
Construction
It consists of a quartz tube 5 m long and 2.5 cm in the diameter. This discharge tube is
filled with gaseous mixture of CO2(active medium), helium and nitrogen with suitable
partial pressures.
The terminals of the discharge tubes are connected to a D.C power supply. The ends of
the discharge tube are fitted with NaCl Brewster windows so that the laser light
generated will be polarized.
Two concave mirrors one fully reflecting and the other partially form an optical
resonator.
CO2 Molecular gas laser:
Working:
Figure shows energy levels of nitrogen and carbon dioxide molecules .
When an electric discharge occurs in the gas, the electrons collide with nitrogen molecules and they
are raised to excited states. This process is represented by the equation
N2 + e* = N2* + e
N2 = Nitrogen molecule in ground state e* = electron with kinetic energy
N2* = nitrogen molecule in excited state e= same electron with lesser energy
Now N2 molecules in the excited state collide with CO2 atoms in ground state and excite to higher
electronic, vibrational and rotational levels.
This process is represented by the equation N2* + CO2 = CO2* + N2
N2* = Nitrogen molecule in excited state. CO2 = Carbon dioxide atoms in ground state
CO2* = Carbon dioxide atoms in excited state
N2 = Nitrogen molecule in ground state.
Since the excited level of nitrogen is very close to the E5 level of CO2 atom, population in E5 level
increases.
As soon as population inversion is reached, any of the spontaneously emitted photon will trigger
laser action in the tube. There are two types of laser transition possible.
1.Transition E5 to E4 :
This will produce a laser beam of wavelength 10.6μm
2.Transition E5 to E3
This transition will produce a laser beam of wavelength 9.6μm. Normally 10.6μm transition is more
intense than 9.6μm transition.
The power output from this laser is 10kW.
Advantages:
1. The construction of CO2 laser is simple
2. The output of this laser is continuous.
Applications:
1. High power CO2 laser finds applications in material processing, welding, drilling, cutting
soldering etc.
2. The low atmospheric attenuation (10.6μm makes CO2 laser suitable for open air communication.
3. It is used for remote sensing
4. It is used for treatment of liver and lung diseases.
5. It is mostly used in neuro surgery and general surgery.
 He-Ne LASER
(Ali Javan 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.
He-Ne laser is a four-level laser.
Its emitted wavelength is 6328Ao in the red portion of the
visible spectrum.
It operates in Continuous Working (CW) mode.
Construction
•The Helium-Neon laser system consists of a quartz discharge tube of length
80cm and diameter of 1cm.
•The tube is filled with a mixture of Neon [under a pressure of 0.1mm Hg] and
Helium [under the pressure of 1mm of Hg].
•The ratio of He-Ne mixture is about 10:1 i.e., the number of Helium atoms are
greater than Neon atoms.
•The output power from these lasers depends upon the length of the discharge
tube and the pressure of gas mixture.
• The energy or pump source of the laser is provided by an electrical discharge
of around 1000 volts. A current of 5 to 100 mA is typical for CW operation.
•The optical cavity of the laser typically consists of a plane, high-
reflecting mirror at one end of the laser tube, and a concave output
coupler mirror of approximately 1% transmission at the other end.
Partially reflecting
Fully reflecting
mirror
mirror
Discharge tube

He + Ne (10:1)
0.1mm of Hg

Discharge Laser out put

electrodes
 Energy level diagram of He-Ne laser

This process is given by the reaction equation:

He* + Ne → He + Ne* + ΔE
where (*) represents an excited state, and ΔE is the small energy difference between the energy states
of the two atoms, of the order of 0.05 eV.
Working
• When a discharge is passed through the gaseous mixture electrons are
accelerated, these accelerated electrons collide with the helium atoms and
excite them to higher energy levels since the levels are meta stable energy
levels helium atoms spend sufficiently long time and collide with neon atoms
in the ground level Ne1. Then neon atoms are excited to the higher energy
levels Ne4 & Ne6 and helium atoms are de excited to the ground state Ne1.
•Since Ne6 & Ne4 are meta stable states, population inversion takes place at
these levels. The stimulated emission takes place between Ne6 to Ne3 gives a
laser light of wave length 6328A0 and the stimulated emission between Ne6
and Ne5 gives a laser light wave length of 3.39µm. Another stimulated
emission between Ne4 to Ne3 gives a laser light wave length of 1.15µm. The
neon atoms undergo spontaneous emission from Ne3 to Ne2 and Ne5 to Ne2.
•Finally the neon atoms are returned to the ground state Ne1 from Ne2 by
non-radiative diffusion and collision process.
•After arriving the ground state, once again the neon atoms are raised to Ne6
& Ne4 by excited helium atoms thus we can get continuous out put from He-
Ne laser.
•But some optical elements placed insides the laser system are used to absorb
the infrared laser wave lengths 3.39µm and1.15µm. hence the output of He-
Ne laser contains only a single wave length of 6328A0 and the output power
is about few milliwatts
Applications of He – Ne Lasers
1.All inter-ferometric experiments
2.Metrological applications
3.Bar code reading
4.Image processing
5.Holography
Applications of LASERS:
1.Communication
2.Computers
3.Industry
4.Scientific Research
5.Military operation
6.Medicine
Lasers in communication and Atmospheric science:
1.More amount data can be sent because of large band width.
2.More channels
3.Signals cannot be trapped
4.Highly directional, hence greater potential use in space crafts and submarines.
5.Lidars (Light detection and ranging) to study about atmospheric features, i.e. to measure
atmospheric pollutants, Ozone concentration, water vapor concentration.
Lasers in computers:
1.In LAN, data transfer from one computer to other for short time.
2.During reading and recording the data on CD’s
Lasers in Industry:
1.Blast holes in hard materials like diamond, hard stell etc.
2.Source as intense heat
3.To measure distance to making maps by surveyors
4.To cut teeth saws, drill in surgical needle, guide bulldozers
5.In welding: Purity of the material is not altered.
Lasers in Scientific Research:
1.To separate isotopes of uranium.
2.To create plasma, this may help the scientists to control nuclear fusion reaction.
3.To create 3D-photography called holography.
4.Recording and reconstruction of hologram to data storage.
5.Holography in optical signal processing.
6.To produce some chemical reactions
7.To produce monomers to polymers
8.Internal structure of the microorganisms and cells are studied accurately.
Lasers in Military applications:
1.To target enemy air plane or ship, to determine its distance.
2.To destroy enemy aircraft and missile.
3.As war weapon.
4.To find the velocity of moving object.
5.Target is judged from the strength and spectral distribution of bounced signal.
Lasers in Medicine:
1.To remove diseased body tissues.
2.Retinal detachment by eye specialist.
3.To instantly weld injured muscles, ligaments without use of the heat.
4. Argon and CO2 lasers are used in liver and lungs treatment.
5.To elimination of moles and tumors on skin tissues.
6.In the treatment of Glaucoma.
7.Argon lasers in – Neuro surgery, Ophthalmology, general surgery, dermatology, gynecology.
8.He-Ne Lasers- Diagnostic applications.
9.Ruby lasers – Ophthalmology, dermotology.