Schawlow and Townes Condition (Threshold

condition)
The amplitude of the light beam must be amplified in order to get laser
action. Schawlow and Townes discussed the necessary conditions for
achieving the laser action. Light amplification takes place in active
medium as it is placed in
between two mirrors of
which one is partially
reflecting,
while
the
other one is 100 %
reflecting (Figure 1). The
light beam bounds back
and forth between the
Figure
two mirrors and hence,
the intensity of the beam gets 1
increased. However,
there will be losses in each reflection. The threshold condition is that the
losses in the medium should be overcome by induced transition in the
amplifying medium. The total losses are due to the following reasons;
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

Transition, absorption and scattering by mirrors

Absorption within the medium
Scattering due to optical inhomogeneity,and
Diffraction losses by the mirrors

Intensity of light after traversing a path, L

I(L) = I0 e( L - )
(for one passage)
where is unsaturated gain
coefficient and is a measure of loss of light due to reflection on mirror in
a single passage.
For oscillation to build, e( L -) > 1
i.e., ( L -) > 0

hence,

L>

The threshold will be reached when L =

Thus a laser medium with length L and given mirror reflectivity /L
The relation between population difference (N 2-N1) between two energy
levels and gain coefficient is given by Fuchbauer Ladendurg formula

c 2 2 A21
( N 2 N1) ) g ( )
2
0

where g() accounts for frequency distribution in the line emitted and is the
refractive index of the medium.
Then threshold condition becomes

c 2 2 A21

( N 2 N1) ) g ( )
2
L
0

0 2
( N 2 N1) )
L c 2 2 A21 g ( )
--------(1)

The above condition can

expressed in a different form.

be

Let P0 be the number of photons

travelling back and forth in a laser.
The number of photons after m
passages will be
P = P0 e-m
If L is the time taken by a photon for a single passage, time taken for m
passages is given by
t = m L , hence

P = P0 e-

t/

[As m = t/L]

The average life time p of a photon is defined as the time by which P 0

reduces to P0/e
P 1 P / L P
e
,
1 , hence P L /
P0 e
L

L/ c

Where L = L/c

where L=

L is the optical path for one passage

L
c p

Also A21 = 1/21 where 21 is spontaneous life time of upper energy level
Putting these in the threshold condition (1)

L
0 2 21
( N 2 N1) )
c p L c 2 2 g ( )
Also for a Lorentzian line profile

g ( )

2
0

0 2 21 0
( N 2 N 1) )
2 c3 p
This is known as Schalaw-Townes condition for laser oscillation. Thus the
population difference required to set off laser oscillations depends on two life
times (a) spontaneous life time of upper energy level (21) and (b) effective
decay time of the cavity (p).
For a ruby laser, 0 = 4.3 1014 Hz, 0 = 1.5 1011 Hz, 21= 4.3 10-3
sec, p = 6 10-9 sec.
N2-N1 = 31016 cm-3