(PDF) Laser Diode
(PDF) Laser Diode
Group members:
Shahid Hussaìn (069)
Saqlain raza (068)
Ashfaq Hussain (064)
LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
A laser diode is an electronic device, which converts electrical energy into
light energy to produce high intensity coherent light.
Laser diode is very small in size and appearance.
It is similar to a transistor and has operation like LED but it emit coherent
light.
The material which often used in Laser diode is the gallium Arsenide (GaAs).
It is also called injection laser diode.
It work on forward biasing.
Anode( €aDode(-
+) )
The laser diode is made of two doped gallium arsenide layers. One doped
gallium arsenide layer will produce an n-type semiconductor whereas
another doped gallium arsenide layer will produce a p type semiconductor. In
laser diodes, selenium, aluminum, and silicon are used as doping agents.
P N junction
When a p type layer is joined with the n type layer, a p n junction is formed.
The point at which the p type and n-type layers are joined is called p n
junction. The p-n junction separates the p type and n-type semiconductors.
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AbSOrption of energy:
z• Absorption of energy is the process of absorbing energy from the
external energy sources.
z• In laser diodes, electrical energy or DC voltage is used as the external energy
source. When the DC voltage or I2lectrical energy supplies enough energy to
the '.›lence eter ti ‹ i/s or valence band electrons, they break bonding with thR
parent atom and jumps into the higher energy level (conduction band). The
electrons in the conduction band are known as free £^lectrons.
When the valence electron leaves the valence shelt, an empty space is
created at the pOint from which electron left. This empty space in the
valence shetl is called a hole.
Thus, both free electrons and holes are generated as a pair because of the
absorption of energy from the external DC source.
Ab s or p t i o n
Spontaneous emission:
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Stimulated
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Stimulated emission
When DC voltagR i5 applied across the laser diode, the free electrons move
across the junction region from the n type material to the p-type material. In
this process, some electrons will directly interact with the valence electrons
and excites them to the higher energy level whereas some other electrons
will recombine with the holes in the p type semiconductor and releases
energy in the form of light. This process of emission is called spontaneous
emission.
The photons generated due to spontaneous emission will travel through the
junction region and stimulate the excited el‹?ctrons (free electrons). As a
result, more photons are released. This process of light or photons emission is
called stimulated emission. The light generated due to stimulated emission
will moves parallel to the junction.
The two ends of the laser diode structure are optically reflective. One end is
fully reflective whereas another end is partially reflective. The fully
reflective end will reflect the light completely whereas the partially
reflective end will reflect most part of the light but allows a small amount of
light.
The light generated due to the stimulated emission is escaped through the
partially reflective Rnd of the laser diode to produce a narrow beam laser
light.
All the photons generated due to the stimulated emission will travel in the
same direction. Therefore, this light will travel to long distances without
spreading in the space.
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photon
H›qłdy
reflective
end end
Emiss›o
Simple cOnStruc
tion
Lightweight
Very cheap
Small size
Highly reliable c Ompared IO other types of lasers.
LOnger operating life
High efficienc y
Mirrors are not required in the semiconductor
lasers.
LOw power consumption
Not suitable for the applications where high powers are required.
Semiconduc tor lasers are highly dependent On temperature.
Laser diodes are used in laser pointers.
Laser diodes are used in fiber optic communica tions.
Laser diodes are used in barcode readers.
Laser diodes are used in laser printing.
Laser diodes are used in laser scanning.
Laser diOdes are used in range finder