SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q 1. What is the wavelength of CO2 Laser, Ruby Laser?

Ans. Wavelength of Ruby laser is 6943 A. Wavelength of CO2 laser. There

are two output wavelength of CO2 laser are at 10.6 im and 9.6m
Q 2. Define population inversion in LASERS.

Ans. Population Inversion : The process ofachieving greater population

density of atoms in the higher energy state as compared to lower energy
state is called populaton inversion. The atoms from lower energy state are
raised to higher energy state by use of external energy.
Q 3. Define Holography.

Ans. Holography is a technique for obtaining three dimensional optical

image of object and it is based on the phenomenon of the interference of
ight. The word holography is derived from the Greek word, where holos
means entire and graphein means recording. In this way entire recording of
object can take place.

Q 4. What do you mean by Spatial and Temporal coherence?

OR
Explain the difference between temporal and spatial coherence.
Ans. Spatial Coherence: If the phase difference between any two points
at an instant of time lying in the plane perpendicular to the direction of
propagation is time dependent, the coherence is said to be spatial
coherence.
Temporal Coherence: If the phase difference between any two points at an
instant of time lying in direction of propagation of electromagnetic wave is
independent of time, the coherence is said to be temporal coherence.
Q5. What do you mean by coherent length, write down expression
for it .
Ans. The length of electromagnetic wave over which spatial coherence is
maintained is called coherent length.

Q 6. Define population inversion. how it is achieved?

Ans. Population Inversion is that state at which the number of atom in

excited state (N2) more than the no. of atom in ground state (N1).
i.e., N2> N1, at this state the rate of stimulated emission is more as compair
to absorption.

Population inversion is achieved through meta stable state, it is the state.

Which is long lived and atoms/electron can stay here for long time and result
into the population inversion.
Q7. Explain spiking in Ruby Laser.

Ans. The Ruby Laser, which is solid state laser and outputof Ruby laser is
not continuous rather it is spiking which is because of the material of Ruby
laser. An Ruby laser is made up of Ruby stone

Which is a solid, and solids always have some crystal defeats (crystalimperfections). Also its pumping used for Ruby laser is optical, because of
these Ruby laser has spriking output.
Q8. Why focusing of Laser light is better than ordinary light?

Ans. The radiation is emitted in all directions by Ordinary light. Laser, on the
other hand, emit only in one direction. Their directionality of laser beams is
expressed in terms of the full angle beam divergence, which is twice the
angle that the outer edge of the beam makes with the axis of the beam.
And, the angular spread of laser beam is given as M = Where ? is wave
length of laser and d is the aperature.
Further laser light is highly coherent, i.e. the output of laser is always in
phase.
Q 9. Write the physical significance of Einstein coefficients.
Ans. Consider an assembly of atoms in thermal equilibrium at temperature
T with radiation of f requency v and energy density u (v). Let N1 and N2 be
the number of atoms in lower energy state 1 and higher energy state 2
respectively at any instant. The probability that the number of atoms in state
1 absorb a photon and rise tc state 2 per unit time is N1 P12 = N1B12 u (v).
B12 is called the Einsteins coefficient of absorption.
It represents the probability of absorption of radiation by a substance.
The rate of stimulated emission and spontaneous emission is given by

Einsteins coefficient of spontaneous emission

Einsteins coefficient of induced emission.

Q 10. What is the difference between stimulated and spontaneous

emission?

Ans.

Q11. What is the difference between holography & photography?

Ans. It is a technique for obtaining three-dimensional image of the object. It

is based on
the phenomenon of interference of light. Entire recording of the object takes
place with it. Photography produces two dimensional picture.
Holography carries large information as compared to photograpy.

Q 12. Name four methods of pumping a laser.

Ans. (i) Optical Pumping (ii) Electric discharge pumping (iii) Inelastic
collision pumping
(iv) Chemical reaction.

Q 13. Can we obtain light amplification in absence of stimulated

emission.

Ans. No, we cannot obtain light amplification in the absence of stimulated

emission.
Light amplification is obtained only when all the emitted photons are
coherent in nature
as they travel parallel to each other, which is possible only if the emission is
stimulated.

Q 14. What are Einsteins coefficients? How are these corelated?

Ans. It is a technique for obtaining three-dimensional image of the object. It

is base
on the phenomenon of interference of light. Entire recording of the object
takes place with it
Einsteins Coefficients : Einstein made the following assumptions to discuss
the
thermodynamic equilibrium of matter and radiations.
(i) The populatin densities N1 and N2 of the atoms in the energy states E1
and E2 remain constant.
(ii) The radiation density p(i) has the spectral distribution similar to that of
black body radiations at the given temperature T.

Q 15. Why population inversion is essential for stimulated emission?

Ans. Population inversion is the phenomenon ofhaving more atoms in higher

energy
level than lower energy level. The photons emitted through stimulated
emission are same in energy, frequency and phase. So, they are highly
coherent which is the characteristic of laser.

Q 16. What is optical pumping and population inversion?

Ans. The phenomenon of making the atoms in higher energy state more
than that in
lower energy state by induced absorption is called population inversion. The
process by which population inversion is carried out is called optical
pumping.

Q17. Why Helium gas is added in case of He-Ne laser?

Ans. Helium and neon gases are added in laser in the ratio of 10 : 1. When
a discharge is passed through the tuba helium atoms get excited and further
pass their energy to neon atoms through collisions. Helium atoms are used
because they can be easily excited and their excited ehergy levels aer
metastable states and these states are close to excited states of neon
atoms. So they can easily pass their energy through collisions. So, they are
used.

Q18. Why optical pumping is not preferred in gas lasers?

Ans. Optical pumping methods are very ineffective for gas lasers because
gas atoms
show sharp energy, levels as compared to solids, which are characterized by
energy bands raTher than energy levels. Thus for gas laser the electrical
discharge is used for pumping.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q 1. Explain the construction, working and principle of Ruby Laser.

Ans. Principle Maurian in 1.960 fabricated the first laser using a ruby
crystal. Its a three level solid laser. In this laser, chromium ions are
embedded in ruby crystal and chromium ions behaves as active medium.
Construction : A ruby laser consists of a single cylindrical crystal of ruby
whose ends were flat. One of the ends were completely silvered and others
were partially silvered. The two ends thus formed the resonant cavity. Ruby
consists of Aluminium oxide
with some of Aluminium ions replaced by
chromium ions. The A1203 crystal serves as a medium to suspend chromium
ions. For a good lasing action a ruby crystal consists of about 0.05%
chromium. High concentration of chromium can be used.
Working The energy levels of chromium ions are shown in fig. The bands
labelled E1 and E2 have a very small life time (108 sec) whereas the
metastable state M has a much longer lifetime of 3 x 1 0^-3 sec. The ruby
crystal is placed inside a flash lamp filled with Xenon gas. The flash lamp is
connected to a capacitor which discharges energy of order, of a few
thousand joules in a few milli-seconds resulting in a power output from flash
lamp of a few megawatts. A part of this energy gets absorbed by chromium
ions in ground state. Chromium ions gets excited to an energy level inside
the bands E1 and E2 . Transitions to E1 and E2 are caused by radiation of
wavelegth 6600 A 4000 A. The chromium ions make a very fast non
radiative transition from the excited state to the metastable state marked M.
Since, this state M has a very long life, the no. of atoms in this state keeps
on increasing. Thus a state of population inversion is achieved between
states M and G. Thus we may have a larger no. of atoms in state M than in
G. Once state of population inversion is achieved, light amplification takes
place.

The flash operation of the lamp leads to pulsed output of laser. As soon as
flash lamp stop operating, the laser action stops till the arrival of next flash
from lamp.This is known as spiking process. Thus the output of ruby laser is
not continuous.

Q 2. Define Einstein co-efficients for lasers and explain their

significance.

Ans. When an electromagnetic signal is incident on an atom. Three different

processes occur simultaneously i.e. stimulated absorption, spontaneous
emission and stimulated emission.
The atoms in lower energy states absorb energy to make transition to higher
energy state. The atoms then make transition to lower energy state either.
by spontaneous emission or by stimulated emission.

Let N1 andN2 be no. of atoms in states E1 and E2

Where K is Boltzman constant and T is absolute temperature. temperature.

Let
be the probability that atoms in lower state E1 absorb photon and
get excited to higher energy state
. Let 0 be the energy required for such
transitions.

Similarly,
is the probability that atoms in the higher energy state E2 make
transition to lower energy state
by stimulated emission.

Let

be the probability that atoms in the higher energy state

transition to lower energy state

make

by spontaneous emission.

Since the probability of stimulated absorption is equal to probability of

stimulated emisison.

In order to get more stimulated downward transitions, Q should be large

Therefore, to increase stimulated downward transitions, the no. of atoms in

excited state should be large as compared to no. of atoms in ground state.

Q 3. Discuss which suitable diagrams the principle, construction and

working of He-Ne laser. Explain the role of the atom in it. How is it
superior to Ruby laser.
OR
Explain the action of the He-Ne Laser. How is it superior to Ruby
laser?

Ans. He-Ne laser is a four level laser discovered by Ali Javan in 1961.
Construction :

He-Ne gas laser consists of a fused quartz tube which is 10 to 100 cm in

length and 2-8 mm in diameter, is filled with mixture of He and Ne gas under
pressure of 1 mm of Hg and 0.1 mm of Hg respectively one end of tube is
closed by fully reflecting end plate while the other end has partially reflecting
end plate.
Principle : He-Ne laser works on the principle of stimulated emission.
Working :

A high voltage applied across the gas mixture produces electrical breakdown
of gas into ions and electrons, these electrons collide with He and Ne atoms
and exists them to high energy levels.
The life time of F2 and F3 of He is more therefore these levels of the become
density populated than F1. As E4 and E6 levels of Ne are close to excited
energy levels of He therefore the provides its energy to atoms of Ne by
inelastic collisions. Since pressure of He atom is greater than that of Ne, the
levels E6 and E4 of Ne are densely populated than other energy levels.
The life time of F2 and F3 of He is more therefore there levels of the become
densely populated than F1. As E4 and E6 levels of Ne are close to excited
energy levels of He therefore the provides its energy to atoms of No by
inelastic collisions. Since pressure of He atom is greater than that of Ne, the
levels E6 and E4 of Ne are densely populated than other energy levels.
Photon with energy hv = E6- E3 stimulate the transition to level E3. During
this transition radiation is emitted with wavelength 6328 A. The He-Ne laser
can operated at any of prominent wavelength.

The corresponding photons bounce back and forth stimulated the reflecting
end faces of tube, which cause stimulated emission during each journey.
Those photons travelling along optical axis of cavity get reflected back and
forth while others which are at certain angle will be lost. The multiplication
process results and large number of photons of same frequency direction
and same phase are produced as laser output.
Role of Helium Atom: He is used for selective pumping of upper laser level of
Neon. It is superior to Ruby laser because
(I) It commonly use low power hence no cooling arrangement are required.
(ii )Gas lasers are in expensive.
(iii) It is most stable and continous type of laser.

Q 4. Explain why we prefer four-level over three-level laser even if

its efficiency is low ?

Ans. We prefer four level laser over three-level lasers because pumping in
four level laser is easy and hence the population inversion laser action is
easy in four level lasers as compared to 3-level lasers.

Q 5. Explain population inversion and optical pumping? Define ad

establish Einstens coefficiens.
OR

What do you understand by holography? Derive the relation between

Einsteins coefficients.

Ans. Population inversion: The phenomenon of making the atoms in

higher energy state more than that in lower energy state by induced
absorption is called population inversion.

Optical pumping: The process by which population inversion is carried out

is called optical pumping.

Holography: It is a technique for obtaining three-dimensional image of the

object. It is based on the phenomenon of interference of light. Entire
recording of the object takes place.

Einsteins Coefficients : Einstein made the following assumptions to

discuss the thermodynamic equilibrium of matter and radiations.
(i) The population densities N1 and N2 of the atoms in the energy states E1
and E2 remain constant.
(ii) The radiation density has the spectral distribution similar to that of black
body radiations at the given temperature T.

where c is the speed of light and k is Boltzmann constant.

(iii) The distribution of N1 and N2 is determined by the Boltzmann
distribution at the given temperature T.

On comparing (a) and (b), we get