PHY 110 Engineering Physics

Lecture 2
UNIT 2 – laser
Lasers and applications:
• Fundamentals of laser- energy levels in atoms
• Radiation matter interaction
• Absorption of light
• Spontaneous emission of light
• Stimulated emission of light
• Population of energy levels
• Einstein A and B coefficients
• Metastable state
• Population inversion,
• Resonant cavity
• Excitation mechanisms
• Nd – YAG
• He-Ne Laser
• Semiconductor Laser
• lasing action
• Properties of laser
• Applications of laser: holography
 Revision Lecture 1
3

When photons of energy (h) travel through a material three

different processes occur

1. Absorption,
2. Spontaneous emission
3. Stimulated emission

Prof. Reji Thomas DRC-DRD September 29, 2023

4

LASER is the acronym of

a) Light amplification and stimulated emission of radiation
b) Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
c) Light absorption by stimulated emission of radiation
d) Light absorption by spontaneous emission of radiation

Ans: B
5

Spontaneous emission of radiation is

a) Unpredictable
b) Independent
c) Uncontrollable
d) Incoherent
e) All of the above

Ans: E
September 29, 2023
6

Which scientist first came up with the idea of stimulated

emission ?
a) Alexander Graham Bell
b) Isaac Newton
c) Arthur Schalow
d) Albert Einstein

Ans: D
Prof. Reji Thomas DRC-DRD September 29, 2023
7

Principle of laser is

(a) Induced absorption

(b) Stimulated emission
(c) Spontaneous emission
(d) All of the above

Ans: D
September 29, 2023
 POPULATION OF ENERGY LEVELS
8

Populations of energy levels is nothing but the total number of atoms

occupying the particular Energy level (E).

E3 N3

E2 N2

E1 N1

the Boltzmann distribution tells us that how the ratio of

populations varies exponentially with the energy difference, and the
greater the level difference the smaller the population in the E2
level.
 EINSTEIN RELATIONS
9

Under steady state condition, Rate of absorption transitions and rate of

emissions (induced as well as spontaneous) will balance each other

Where, B12, A21, B21 are Einstein’s coefficients for induced

absorption, spontaneous emission and stimulated /induced emission
respectively. N1 and N2 populations of atoms in the ground ( E1) are
excited (E2) states, respectively.
 EINSTEIN RELATIONS

10

Just now we saw under

thermal equilibrium
Eq.1
Number of atoms absorbing Number of atoms emitting photons
photons per second per volume = per second per volume

Re-arranging equation 1 we get,

So the photon density can be expressed as

Eq. 2
 EINSTEIN RELATIONS
11

Now divide numerator and denominator with B12N2, we get

Eq. 3

But Boltzmann's law, the distribution of atoms among the energy levels E1 and
E2 at thermal equilibrium at Temperature T is

And

k Boltzmann's constant, h Planck’s const and  frequency of photon

Eqn.3 becomes

Eq. 4

September 29, 2023

 Eq. 4
12

But according to Planck’s law, the energy density of radiation (), is

given by the formula

Eq. 5

Wher µ is the refractive index of the medium and c is the velocity of light in free space.
Photon energy density given by Eq.4 must be consistent with and Eq.5, then we get two
relations for 3 Einstein’s coefficients

Eq. 6

Eq7

September 29, 2023

13

In normal conditions, absorption is more probable,

and hence spontaneous emission dominate the
stimulated emission.. Why?

a) More atoms are in the ground state compared to

excited state.
b) Less atoms are in the excited state compared to
ground state.
c) All of the above.
d) None of the above.

September 29, 2023

Light Amplification through (by) Stimulated Emission of Radiation
LASER
14

So to realize LASER we need light amplification and for that

stimulated emission is essential

But Under normal conditions

1. Induced absorption dominate stimulated emission for
a given photon density. N1>>N2
2. Spontaneous emission dominate stimulated emission
for lower life time at the excited level.  < 10-7s

How to get rid of these two issues to succeed in stimulated emission and hence
light amplification? To understand we use two parameters R1 and R2, Rst/Rsp
and Rst/Rabs, respectively.

September 29, 2023

 Stimulated emission/spontaneous emission (R1=Rst/Rsp)?
15

To get an idea about it let us find the typical value of Rst/Rsp

From our last lecture we know, rate of stimulated transition (Rst) and rate of
spontaneous transitions (Rsp)are

Now take the ratio of Rst to Rsp

Eq. 9

September 29, 2023

 Stimulated emission/ spontaneous emission (R1=Rst/Rsp)?
16

Now Eq.9 changes to

Eq. 10

But then Eq.10 becomes

Eq. 11

In the optical region, say 5x1014 Hz (600 nm) and at room temperature T=300 K,
the value of R1 can be found to be 10-58. Stimulated emission is negligible
compared to spontaneous emission.

September 29, 2023

 How to increase R1=Rst/Rsp to realize LASER?
17

We have ; so when the photon density () and ratio of Einstein

coefficient (B21/A21) are large, stimulated emission will dominate

1. But as the radiation density () increase absorption also increases, due to
B21=B12. Hence large photon density of course help for more stimulated
emissions…. Optical cavity?
2. If the excited state has more life time (1/A21 represents the lifetime of the
excited state), R1 increases many fold and stimulated emission increases
substantially…. Metastable state?

So an increase in the photon density () and the life time of atoms in the
excited state, along with the dominance over absorption transition may
work out for increasing the stimulated transition.

September 29, 2023

 How to increase R2=Rst/Rabsto realize LASER?
18

R21=R12
Eq. 12

i.e. stimulated transition overcome absorption transition if N2 >>N1.

3. Unfortunately, under normal condition population in the excited level (N2) is very much
lower than that in the ground state(N1). We have to invert this situation…. Population
inversion?
So we need three different requirements for getting dominant stimulated transition
and LASER action
(i) Large photon density () –Optical resonant cavity
(ii) Large life time of atoms in the excited state- Metastable state
(iii) Large number of excited atoms - population inversion

How to attain these three requirements? we will see next….

September 29, 2023
 Meeting the requirements?
19

1. POPULATION INVERSION by Pumping

When the material is at thermal equilibrium, population ratio between E1 and E2 is

given by the Boltzmann’s law

So one has to supply energy from outside to attain N2>> N1 and hence population
inversion occurs…. There are different excitation mechanisms which we will see
later

September 29, 2023

 1. POPULATION INVERSION by Pumping

20

In the inverted case, stimulated transition is triggered and photon

multiplication occurs and hence light amplification happens

However, due to continued stimulated emission, population of E2

reduces and this action comes to an end. To sustain one has to
continuously excite atoms from E1 to E2 and this process is called
pumping– like you pump water to your tank for continuous usage of water

September 29, 2023

 Meeting the requirements?
21

2. METASTABLE STATE to increase life time

After achieving population inversion, one has to suppress spontaneous emission
that generally happens in nano seconds time

To increase the population at the excited state, life time at that state should be
increased 10-6 to 10-3 s..

This is achieved by allowing the excited

atoms at the pumping level to loose fraction
of the energy and jump to another level
where they stay longer time.. This third state
is called Metastable state

This is possible in material by doping

September 29, 2023

 Meeting the requirements?
22

3. Large photon density () –Optical resonant cavity

To make stimulated emission

to overtake spontaneous
emission

That can be achieved

• By placing laser medium (material) between two mirrors
• Photon density build up due to repeated reflections
• Contained in the cavity to increase interaction- confinement

September 29, 2023

23

Life time of atoms in the metastable state is

a) < 10-8 s
b) between 10-6 -10-3 s
c) ~106 s
d) ~10 s

September 29, 2023

24

September 29, 2023