LASER an introduction

What is a laser?
LASER:
Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission
of Radiation
A laser is a device that amplifies light and
produces a highly directional, high intensity
beam that most often has a very pure
frequency or wavelength [Silfast]

History : Some important dates

1917: Albert Einstein developed the
theoretical
concept of
photons & stimulated emission
1954: Charles Townes & Arthur
Schawlow built
the first
MASER using ammonia and
microwave energy
Prediction of the optical laser
Nobel Prize (1964)
1960: Theodore Maiman
first demonstration of a
laser:Ruby laser

Pioneers

 Active medium Gas, liquid or solid

Contained in glass or ceramic tubes
Energy Electric current
Mirrors are added to each end to increase
the back and forth movement of photons
Thus increasing the stimulation of
emission of radiation

LASER COMPONENTS

Gas lasers consist of a gas filled tube placed in

the laser cavity. A voltage (the external pump
source) is applied to the tube to excite the atoms
in the gas to a population inversion. The light
emitted from this type of laser is normally

Absorption and Emission of radiation

Emission processes
Spontaneous emission produces incoherent radiation as
light is generated through electronic transitions from
numerous energy levels and the generated photons are
not in phase.
In stimulated emission the generated photon is of the
same frequency as the incident photon. The generated
and incident photons are in phase implying coherent
light.

Emission processes
The emitted energy is added in a constructive manner
providing amplification of light.
Both the absorption and emission processes are
described by the Einstein relations and constants.

Laser is an optical-frequency oscillator

A laser is an optical-frequency oscillator constructed from an opticalfrequency amplifier with positive feedback.

An oscillator is an amplifier with positive

feedback

Laser oscillator

Optical-frequency oscillator

To make a laser
1. Population inversion a criterion to provide gain
2. Stimulated emission
3. Optical feedback
L
gain medium
Optical
output
mirror

partially transmitting
mirror

18

Conditions for laser oscillation

Two conditions must be satisfied for the laser to oscillate
(lase):
The gain condition determines the minimum
population difference, and thus the pumping threshold
required for lasing
The phase condition determines the frequency (or
frequencies) at which oscillation takes place

To achieve lasing, we need: 1. optical gain, and 2. optical

feedback
Optical gain makes an optical amplifier (usually broadband).
Optical feedback (frequency selective) converts an amplifier into
an oscillator.

Semiconductor
optical amplifier
(broadband,
~30 50 nm)

Oscillator (narrow band, ~ nm

sub-nm)
*Linewidth narrowing is one key
signature of oscillation

wavelength