Visit www.ignitedmindsv2.

tk

Lasers
Introduction to

Lecture Contents

Laser Applications
Definition of lasers
Population Inversion
Materials used for semiconducting laser
Quantum dot devices
Laser Safety
Intro to

lasers

Intro to

lasers

Laser Applications
TELECOMMUNICATION

10 Gbits /s
FLAG network
From UK to Japan
(Fiber-optic Link Around the Globe)
28OOOKM

Flag Network owned by

Reliance Globecom -UK

Flag Network Collaboration In India

Reliance Communications

Another Typical Application of

Laser Fibre Optics

An example of application is for the light source for fibre

optics communication.

Light travels down a fibre optics glass at a speed, = c/n, where

n = refractive index.
Light carries with it information
Different wavelength travels at different speed.
This induce dispersion and at the receiving end the light is
observed to be spread. This is associated with data or
information lost.
The greater the spread of information, the more loss
However, if we start with a more coherent beam then loss can
be greatly reduced.

Intro to

lasers

Laser Applications
MEDICINAL PURPOSE

Intro to

lasers

Fiber optic
Endoscopeto
Detect ulcers
in the intestines.

Lasers are used extensively

in the treatment of
eye-diseases ,particularly to
reattach a detached retina.

Bloodless Surgery.

# The liver and lung diseases could be

treated using lasers.

Laser Applications
MEDICINAL PURPOSE

Intro to

lasers

To destroy cancerous and precancerous cells; at the same

time, the heat seal off capillaries,

To break up gallstones and

kidney stones

To remove plaque clogging

human arteries

Laser Applications
INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES

Intro to

lasers

lasers are used now for cutting, drilling and

welding of metals and other materials.

Laser light is used to collect the

information about the prefixed prices of
various products in shops and
business establishments from the barcode printed on the product.

LIDAR Light Detection & Ranging (Mines)

Leveling of Ceramic Tile Floor
# For precision measurements & leveling

Laser Applications
INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES

PC-board CAD tools s

3D printers

Latching tool

Intro to

lasers

Milling tool

A variety of 3D printing techniques have appeared in the last few years.

SLA: Stereolithography: laser curing of liquid plastic.
SLS: Selective Laser Sintering: similar, laser fuses powder.
LOM: Layered Object Modeling: laser cuts paper one layer at a time.
FDM: Fused Deposition Modeling: a thread of plastic is melted through a
moving head.

Laser Applications
DEFENCE & SECURITY

Intro to

lasers

#
LASTEC- HPL Researches
(Laser Science & Technology Centre) # In sniper guns, for target acquisition & locking
Dragunov SVD Semi Automatic Sniper gun
Under DRDO
(Defence Research & Development Organisation)

Indian ARM industry :- OFB (Ordinance Factories Board )

MILITARY USES
THERMAL IMAGING

THERMAL IMAGING

Laser guided munitions

Designated from air or ground
Intro to

lasers

Thermal homing missiles

Optical Guidance
Night Vision

Lasers Military Applications

Targeting tool
Absorbed by target thermal radiator
Reflected by target selective radiator

Modulated
Different lasers of the same frequency to be deconflicted and
limits enemy interference

Weapon Systems: Hellfire, Maverick, Rockeye

Laser Range finders, Beam riders, and laser target
designators (LTD)
THEL & MHEL - Tactical High Energy Laser (Shoot down
incoming)
@ www.gizmag.com/millitarygadgets

Intro to

lasers

Intro to

lasers

Laser Applications
HOLOGRAPHY

Holography is the production of holograms by the use of laser.

@ www.pranavmistry.com

Laser Applications
HOLOGRAPHY

Possible medical applications using the technology

Surgical procedures (using tracking capabilities)
Rehabilitation techniques & Gaming

Intro to

lasers

Typical Application of

Laser

The detection of the binary data stored in the form of pits on

the compact disc is done with the use of a semiconductor
laser. The laser is focused to a diameter of about 0.8 mm at
the bottom of the disc, but is further focused to about 1.7
micrometers as it passes through the clear plastic substrate
to strike the reflective layer. The reflected laser will be
detected by a photodiode. Moral of the story: without
optoelectronics there will no CD player!

Intro to

lasers

BASIC LASER
Light
Amplification by
Stimulated
Emission of
Radiation
Intro to

lasers

Definition of

laser

A laser is a device that generates light by a process

called STIMULATED EMISSION.
The acronym LASER stands for Light Amplification
by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
Semiconducting lasers are multilayer semiconductor
devices that generates a coherent beam of
monochromatic light by laser action. A coherent
beam resulted which all of the photons are in
phase.
Intro to

lasers

Electromagnetic Spectrum
Gamma Rays

10-13

10-12

10-11

X-Rays

10-10

10-9

Ultra- Visible
violet

Infrared

10-8

10-5

10-7

10-6

Microwaves

10-4

10-3

10-2

Radar
waves

10-1

TV
waves

10

Radio
waves

102

Wavelength (m)

LASERS

Retinal Hazard Region

Ultraviolet

200

300

Visible

400

500

600

Near Infrared

700

800

900

1000

1100

Far Infrared

1200

1300

1400

1500

10600

Wavelength (nm)
ArF
193

XeCl
308
KrF
248

Ar
488/515

HeNe Ruby
633 694
2w
Alexandrite GaAs
Nd:YAG
755
905
532

Nd:YAG
1064

Communication CO2
10600
Diode
1550

Lasers operate in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared.

Intro to

lasers

Properties of Laser Light

Monochromaticity
Laser light is concentrated in a narrow range of wavelengths

Coherence
All the emitted photons bear a constant phase relationship with
each other in both time and phase

Directionality
laser light is usually low in divergence

High Irradiance
Power of EM radiation Incident per unit area
Intro to

lasers

Types of LASERS

LASERS
Semiconductor

Diode Laser

Solid state

Liquid

Gas Lasers

Solid state

Liquid

Neodymium Yag Laser

Ruby laser

Gaseous

Intro to

lasers

Market demand of QD lasers

( QUANTUM DOT )
Microwave/Millimeter wave
transmission with optical fibers

Optics

Datacom
network

Telecom
network

QD Lasers

High speed QDL

Advantages

Directly Modulated Quantum

Dot Lasers

Datacom

Mode-Locked Quantum Dot

Lasers

Short

InP Based Quantum Dot

Lasers

Low

@ www.fibers.org
Intro to

lasers

application
Rate of 10Gb/s
optical pulses
Narrow spectral width
Broad gain spectrum
Very low factor-low chirp

emission wavelength
Wide temperature range
Used for data transmission

DEFINITION OF MPE

The level of laser light to which a person may be

exposed without risk of injury.
Intro to

lasers

Mechanisms of Light Emission

For atomic systems in thermal equilibrium with their surrounding,
the emission of light is the result of:
Absorption
And subsequently, spontaneous

emission of energy

There is another process whereby the atom in an upper energy level can
be triggered or stimulated in phase with the an incoming photon. This
process is:

Stimulated emission
It is an important process for laser action

Therefore 3 process of
light emission:

1. Absorption
2. Spontaneous Emission
3. Stimulated Emission

Stimulated Emission
It is pointed out by Einstein that:
Atoms in an excited state can be stimulated to jump to a
lower energy level when they are struck by a photon of incident light
whose energy is the same as the energy-level difference involved in
the jump. The electron thus emits a photon of the same wavelength as
the incident photon. The incident and emitted photons travel away
from the atom in phase.
Intro to
This process is called stimulated emission.

lasers

Intro to

lasers

Stimulated Emission
Emitted
photon

Incident
photon

Excited
electron

Incident
photon

Unexcited
electron

Before emission

After emission

Intro to

lasers
In order to obtain the coherent light from stimulated emission,
two conditions must be satisfied:
1. The atoms must be excited to the higher state. That is, an
inverted population is needed, one in which more atoms are
in the upper state than in the lower one, so that emission of
photons will dominate over absorption.
Unexcited system

Excited system

E3
E2

E3
E2

E1

E1

Metastable State

Intro to

lasers

2. The higher state must be a metastable state a state in which the

electrons remain longer than usual so that the transition to the
lower state occurs by stimulated emission rather than
spontaneously.

E3
Metastable state

E3

E2

E2
Incident photon

Photon of energy E 2 E1

E1
Metastable system

E1

Emitted photon

Stimulated emission

Common Laser System

Intro to

lasers

Intro to

lasers

BASIC LASER COMPONENTS

ACTIVE MEDIUM

Optical Resonator

Solid (Crystal)
Gas
Semiconductor (Diode)
Liquid (Dye)
EXCITATION
MECHANISM
Optical
Electrical
Chemical

OPTICAL
RESONATOR
HR Mirror and
Output Coupler

Active
Medium
High Reflectance
Mirror (HR)

Output
Beam

Output Coupler
Mirror (OC)

Excitation
Mechanism

The Active Medium contains atoms which can emit light

by stimulated emission.
The Excitation Mechanism is a source of energy to
excite the atoms to the proper energy state.
The Optical Resonator reflects the laser beam through
the active medium for amplification.

Laser Wavelength Linewidth

Intro to

lasers

CDRH CLASS WARNING LABELS

Laser Radiation
Do Not Stare Into Beam
Helium Neon Laser
1 milliwatt max/cw
CLASS II LASER PRODUCT

Class II
Class IIIa with expanded beam

VISIBLE LASER RADIATIONAVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE TO

DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION

Argon Ion
Wavelength: 488/514 nm
Output Power 5 W
CLASS IV Laser Product

Class IIIa with small beam

Class IIIb
Class IV

Intro to

lasers

INTERNATIONAL LASER WARNING LABELS

INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION
AVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE
TO DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION
CLASS 4 LASER PRODUCT

WAVELENGTH
MAX LASER POWER
EN60825-1

Symbol and Border: Black

Background: Yellow

10,600 nm
200 W
1998

Legend and Border: Black

Background: Yellow

Intro to

lasers

Intro to

NEODYMIUM YAG LASER

lasers

Courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory

Rear Mirror
Adjustment Knobs

Safety Shutter Polarizer Assembly (optional)

Coolant
Beam
Tube

Adjustment
Knob
Output
Mirror
Beam

Q-switch
(optional)

Beam Tube

Nd:YAG
Laser Rod
Flashlamps

Pump
Cavity
Laser Cavity
Harmonic
Generator (optional)

Medium :- Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Crystal

State :- Solid
Excitation :- Diode Laser
Beam :- 1064 nm infrared
Uses :- Cataract ,Glaucoma , Gingivectomy surgeries

Intro to

lasers

Light Absorption

Dominant interaction
Photon absorbed
Electron is excited to CB
Hole left in the VB

Depends on the energy

band gap (similar to
lasers)
Absorption (a) requires
the photon energy to be
larger than the material
band gap

hc

Eg

hc
1.24
m )

E g E g eV )

LASER HAZARD CLASSES

Lasers are classified according to the level of laser radiation that
is accessible during normal operation.

Intro to

lasers

CLASS 1

Safe during normal use

Incapable of causing injury

Low power or enclosed beam

CLASS I Laser Product

Label not required

Nd:YAG Laser Marker

May be higher class during

maintenance or service

CLASS 2

Staring into beam is eye hazard

Eye protected by aversion response
Visible lasers only
CW maximum power 1 mW

Laser Scanners

Laser Radiation
Do Not Stare Into Beam

Helium Neon Laser

1 milliwatt max/cw
CLASS II LASER PRODUCT

CLASS 3R (Formerly 3a)

Aversion response may not provide
adequate eye protection
CDRH includes visible lasers only
ANSI includes invisible lasers
CW maximum power (visible) 5 mW

Expanded Beam

Laser Pointers
Laser RadiationDo Not Stare Into Beam or View
Directly With Optical Instruments

Helium Neon Laser

5 milliwatt max/cw
CLASS IIIa LASER PRODUCT

LASER RADIATIONAVOID DIRECT EYE EXPOSURE

ND:YAG 532nm
5 milliwatts max/CW
CLASS IIIa Laser Product

Small Beam

CLASS 3B
DPSS Laser with cover removed

Direct exposure to beam is eye hazard

Visible or invisible
CW maximum power 500 mW

LASER RADIATIONAVOID DIRECT EXPOSURE TO BEAM

2w ND:YAG Wavelength: 532 nm
Output Power 80 mW
CLASS IIIb Laser Product

Courtesy of Sams Laser FAQ, www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm, 1994-2004

CLASS 4
Exposure to direct beam and scattered
light is eye and skin hazard
Visible or invisible
CW power >0.5 W
Fire hazard

VISIBLE LASER RADIATIONAVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE TO

DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION

Photo: Keith Hunt - www.keithhunt.co.uk

Copyright: University of Sussex, Brighton (UK)

2w Nd:YAG
Wavelength: 532 nm
Output Power 20 W
CLASS IV Laser Product

TYPES OF LASER EYE EXPOSURE

INTRABEAM
VIEWING
EYE

LASER

SPECULAR
REFLECTION
LASER

DIFFUSE
REFLECTION

LASER

REFLECTED
BEAM
MIRROR

SCATTERED
LIGHT
ROUGH
SURFACE

Intro to

lasers

VISIBLE and/ or INVISIBLE LASER

RADIATION-AVOID EYE OR SKIN
EXPOSURE TO DIRECT OR
SCATTERED RADIATION.
ND:YAG 1064 nm
100 Watts Max. Average Power

CLASS 4 LASER
Controlled Area Warning Sign

Intro to

lasers

LABORATORY DOOR INTERLOCK

Intro to

lasers

ENTRYWAY WARNING LIGHTS

Intro to

lasers

LASER PROTECTIVE BARRIERS

Intro to

lasers

CURBS ON OPTICAL TABLE

Intro to

lasers

BEAM CONTROL

Intro to

lasers

COMPUTERS IN RESEARCH LABS

Allowing a direct view

from a computer
workstation into a laser
experimental setup
increases the risk of eye
exposure to reflected
beams.
Laser-Professionals.com

LASER SAFETY EYEWEAR

Intro to

lasers

EYEWEAR LABELS

Intro to

lasers
All eyewear must be labeled with wavelength and optical density.

Visit www.ignitedmindsv2.tk