The Physics of Lasers

Introduction:
Have you ever asked yourself, how certain things work? For instance, how
can police officers measure how fast you are going in your car or how does your
CD player works? What about the movement of the earths crust and the
measurement of earthquakes? Well it just so happens that all of these questions
can be found out using lasers. So what is a laser? How do they work? What are
they used for? Lasers are studied in physics and help us understand many things.
If you asked a person 50 years ago, what a laser was, he or she would have
a very confused look on their face. If you asked a person today what a laser was
they would give you answer, but probably wouldnt be able to tell you how they
work. A laser is a device that control the way excited atoms release photons or
particles of light (Weschler). The word laser is not only a word, but an acronym.
It stands for Light Amplification by theStimulated Emission of Radiation. Once
you understand what the different letters mean in this acronym, you will
understand how a laser works (Jezek).
L-A-S-E-R:
The L in the acronym means light. A laser is a beam of light that uses the
force of light and directs this light in one direction. The A in the acronym stands
for amplification and just means that you can make the laser an intense beam of
light or not as intense beam of light. The S in the acronym is what really starts
the process of creating a laser. One thing you have to realize when creating a laser
is that atoms are made up of electrons. Once these electrons get stimulated or
excited by an outside source, usually intense flashes of light, they become electrons
that are in a higher energy state then they were before (Jezek). This process is also
called getting pumped, which just means the medium that the electrons are in are
becoming electrons in the excited state. In the excited state, the electrons release
their excess energy by giving off a particle of light or a photon (Weschler).
Electrons release their excess energy because they like being in the lowest state
possible or ground state. This release of light energy from electrons is
called Emission (Jezek). The emitted photon of light has a very specific
wavelength that depends on the state of the electrons energy when the photon was
released. Atoms that have the same electrons in identical states will release
photons with the same wavelengths. Finally, mirrors are placed at the ends of the
medium being used. The photons emitted with certain wavelengths reflect off the
mirrors and travel back and forth through the medium. As they do this, the photons
stimulate other electrons to emit photons of the same wavelength. Soon, there are
a lot of photons in the medium that all have the same wavelength. One of the
mirrors placed at the ends is not a total reflective mirror. It reflects most of the

light, but some photons get through the mirror. The light that passes through this
mirror is the laser beam and a laser is finally created (Lasers).

This series of pictures gives a visual description of how a ruby laser is

created. In Figure #1, the atoms are in the ground state. Figure #2 shows us that
the atoms get excited and go into a higher energy state when an outside source
emits light to it. In Figure #3, the atoms emit photons to get back to their ground
state which is where they want to be. Figure #4 shows us the photons bouncing off
the mirrors in the ruby tube and stimulating photon emission in other atoms.
Finally, Figure #5 shows us that some of the photons pass through the mirror that
is partially reflective and creates a red laser beam (Weschler).

Three Unique Properties:

Lasers are very different from normal, everyday light. There are three properties
that every laser has that make them unique from normal light. Laser light is
monochromatic which means it has one specific wavelength of light or one color of
light. The color of light is determined by the amount of released energy when an
electron goes from an excited state back to ground state. The laser light released is
also coherent. This means that the photons move in an organized fashion with
other photons. They all have the same wave fronts. Lastly, laser light is extremely
directional. Unlike normal light that spreads out in many directions, lasers are
concentrated and light is only projected wherever the laser is pointing to
(Weschler).
Uses of Lasers:
The uses of lasers are endless. Lasers are used in geology, medicine,
optometry, supermarkets, optical networks, mechanics, construction, lab
experiments, and many more. The devices used when lasers first were developed
were very primitive, but today lasers have revolutionized many areas of science
and have been a big success in these areas.
Laser beams have been bounced off reflectors on the moon which would
provide information of the movement of Earths crust (Background). In the field
of medicine, lasers are used to remove scarring or tattoos from a persons skin, seal
off bleeding blood vessels, kill cancerous cells, and also can get rid of small
growths in places inaccessible on the body such as the bowel and vocal cords
(Lasers Revolutionize).

Lasers can be used to get rid of tattoos on a persons skin. This is shown here as a
doctor is removing a tattoo from a girls neck. Notice that they are both wearing
protective glasses because certain lasers are harmful to look at with ones eyes
(Williams).
Optometrists use lasers to correct a persons vision and to attach retinas back
into place without making a cut. Lasik, which stands for Laser-Assisted In
Situ Keratomileusis, Eye Surgery uses an excimer laser to permanently change
the shape of the cornea in your eye that will in turn reduce the dependency on
glasses and contact lenses. Optometrists also use a procedure called a PRK,
Photorefractive Keratectomy, with lasers to correct myopia, hyperopia, and
astigmatism (Lasik).

Lasers can be used for many things. In this picture, a laser is used to change
the shape of a persons cornea through a process called Lasik Eye Surgery (Lasik)
Next, information can be read from lasers in various things. In a supermarket,
lasers are used to interpret barcodes which then the computer can then find the
price of that item from its barcode. Optical fibers use lasers to transmit
information as well. It is done by turning on and off a laser a thousand times a
second. The turning on and off creates a binary system of numbers which is used
to transmit the information (Lasers).
Construction has many applications of the laser. Alignment is done with
different lasers when transit systems such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit System in
San Francisco. For this transit system, lasers were used to line up the dredging
equipment for an underwater tunnel in the Bay area. Also a mechanic uses the
same concept and uses lasers to re-align tires on a car (Background). Levels are
common uses for lasers in construction too. A device called a laser transit is used to
survey areas before construction projects (Prineas). Welders use lasers to make
precise cuts in metal as well. Since the beam of a laser is the same all the way
through, scientists have discovered that a laser can be a very accurate instrument.
Lasers are also used in lab experiments to examine a certain substance or to
determine a certain value such as the speed of light. In biology, lasers are used to
measure blood cell diameters. They can also be
used to measure distances and temperature in an
experiment (Background).
For construction purposes, lasers are used as levels. This
is a picture of a construction laser transit which is used to
survey areas before construction begins (Prineas).

Laser Classification:

Lasers are classified in five groups according to the medium used to create the
laser light. Lasers can be solid state, semiconductor, dye, gas, or excimer lasers.
Each group of lasers has certain attributes that a laser must have to be classified in
that group. Solid state lasers use a solid laser-creating medium and an example of
a solid state laser is a ruby laser, which uses a tube of ruby to create the laser light.
Semiconductor lasers or sometimes called diode lasers are usually very small and
use a small amount of power. They are very weak and can be found in laser
pointers and in optical networks such as fiber optics. Diode lasers emit a red beam
of light that has a wavelength between 630 nm and 680-nm.
Dye lasers use organic dyes as mediums to create laser light. The dye is mixed
or suspended in a liquid. Dye lasers can create various wavelengths of light. Gas
lasers, as you might guess, use gases for mediums to create laser light. The most
common gas lasers are helium and helium-neon lasers which are found in grocery
store checkout lines. Gas lasers also could be made to cut through hard
substances. Lasers that use carbon dioxide as a medium can cut through objects
such as steel. To cut through a hard substance, the gas laser cuts through it by
melting whatever it is pointing at. The final groups of lasers are the excimer
lasers. These lasers use reactive gases mixed with non-reactive gases to create its
medium. When this laser is stimulated by electricity, a molecule develops that
gives off ultraviolet light. Thus the light that an excimer laser gives off is
ultraviolet light (Lasers).
Lasers are also classified into classes. Laser manufacturers are required by law
to have a warning label on its products where it would also have its classification
printed as well. A lasers class is dependent on the potential for causing injury to
individuals. The higher the class, the more likely the laser could harm someone or
the environment.
A Class I laser is considered safe from all potential hazards and cannot emit laser
radiation at hazardous levels. A Class II laser is a low-power visible laser that
emits radiation higher than Class I, but has a radiant power lower than 1 mW. A
Class II laser could damage a person eyes if looked at for a long period of time
such as 15 minutes. Class IIIa lasers are immediate-power lasers, which have a
radiant power somewhere between 1-5 mW. They are only hazardous, like Class II
lasers, when looked at for a long time. Class IIIb lasers are moderate-power lasers
and are used in spectrometry and entertainment light shows. Whenever a person is
near a Class III laser, wearing goggles is a must if you dont want your eyes
damaged.
Finally, Class IV lasers are high-power lasers which are hazardous to look at under
any circumstance. They are also potential fire hazards and skin hazards. Certain
steps are taken by trained professionals to control Class IV lasers (Types of
Lasers). Some examples of Class IV lasers are lasers that are used for surgery,
drilling, cutting, welding, and micromachining (Laser Classifications).

These are warning labels that must be on a laser when it is manufactured.

It should tell the reader the classification of the laser and what he or she should
avoid while using the laser (Laser Classifications).
Wrap Up:
In conclusion, lasers are fascinating devices that are becoming more and more
popular every year. They have been used in various fields such as geology,
medicine, optometry, supermarkets, optical networks, mechanics, and
construction. The laser helps make life easier by transmitting information,
reducing errors, and by making precise measurements. Lasers will continue to be
around us for the following years. If you didnt know much about them before
reading this paper, I hope you do now.