Introduction to Lasers

Lecture 2

1

INTRODUCTION LASER FUNDAMENTALS AND LASER BEAM
PROPERTIES



Pumping Schemes


Two-Level Laser


2
E




1
E

Suppose we try to increase N
2
with strong light at h to create a population
inversion.

This wont work!





. . .
Pump Power
Net absorption,
small here


2 1
2 inv
1
g N
N N -
g




=

2 1
h h E -E
p
= =
Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

2
Three-Level Laser


(Good Can Create Population Inversion)

3
Fast Decay
2






1

Example: Ruby Laser


Four-Level Laser


(Better Easier to get a large inversion)

3
Fast Decay
2





1

Fast Decay
0

Example: Nd:YAG Laser

3 1
h
= E -E
p

2 1
h
=E -E

0
3
h
= E -E
p

2 1
h E E =
Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

3
Quasi-Three-Level Laser


(Also called a quasi-four level laser)











~ k
B
T Example: Yb:YAG


The lower lasing level is partially occupied in thermal equilibrium
Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

4
Properties of Laser Beams

Monochromaticity:


E
2



h h
h





E
1


Note: Cavity resonance further narrows the laser line width


Example: Nd:YAG Laser
14
=1.064 m, =2.810 Hz






11
FWHM~3kHz (1 part in 10 !)



[100 msec window]







[10 second window]


We see drift when we
observe for a longer
time

Laser amplifies at:
2 1
- E E
h
=
but there is a finite spread for

because of:
1) Finite upper-state lifetime
2) Interaction with the
surrounding environment
P
o
w
e
r

P
e
r

U
n
i
t

F
r
e
q
u
e
n
c
y

P
o
w
e
r

P
e
r

U
n
i
t

F
r
e
q
u
e
n
c
y

Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

5




Temporal Coherence:



Spatial Coherence:

) ) ) ) ) )
1 2
. . .

Causes Laser Speckle



Directionality:

A result of the laser cavity.










We can define a phase
front for a laser beam.

Mirror Mirror
Diameter = D
2
Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

6

The optical mode has finite extent to fit the mirrors.


Diffraction theory tells us that the beam diverges with an angle

, 1
D

=



Brightness:

Brightness B
cos
dP
d dS


In words Power emitted in direction 00 per unit solid angle,
per unit area, taking into account the effective
reduction in the emitting surface due to tilt

Normal to Surface

dS
O
O
Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

7
For a diffraction limited laser beam:

2
2
B P


Very bright ! (Because of beam directionality)

See homework



Short Pulses:

Using techniques called Q-Switching and Mode Locking we can make
optical pulses of duration ~ 1-nsec 5-fsec (5 x 10
-15
sec)








Note: Emission of short pulses is a less general property of lasers.

All lasers can be made monochromatic (in principle),

but


1
~
pulse
pulse

we can only make very short pulses with a broad gain
spectrum.









Pulse with only a few optical cycles
Introduction to Lasers
Lecture 2

8
Laser Types:

Gas (e.g. HeNe, CO
2
), Liquid (dye), Solid-State (e.g. Nd:YAG,
Yb:YAG, Ruby, Ti:Sapphire), Fiber (a special case of solid-state
lasers), Semiconductor, Chemical (HF), Free-Electron, X-Ray

X-Ray ( ~1 ) to far infrared ( ~1 ) nm mm

CW power ~ 1-mW (communications, data storage, laser
pointers)
to ~ 100-kW (machining)
to ~ 5MW (military)

Pulsed Power to ~ 10
15
W

Pulse Length as short as ~ 5-fsec

Cavity Length ~ 1m (VCSEL) to 6.5-km