Lasers Flashcards
What does the acronym LASER stand for?
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
What is the principle behind laser operation?
Lasers operate on the principle of stimulated emission, where an incoming photon causes an excited electron to drop to a lower energy level, emitting a second photon with identical properties.
What is population inversion and why is it important for lasers?
Population inversion is a state in which more electrons occupy a higher energy level than a lower one, which is necessary to achieve net stimulated emission.
Explain stimulated emission.
Stimulated emission occurs when an incoming photon stimulates an excited electron to drop to a lower energy state, releasing a photon that is coherent with the stimulating photon.
What does it mean for laser light to be coherent?
Coherent light has photons that are in phase with one another, resulting in a highly collimated and monochromatic beam.
How does an optical cavity contribute to laser function?
An optical cavity (typically made of two mirrors) reflects light back and forth through the gain medium, amplifying the light via repeated stimulated emission.
Name some common types of lasers.
Examples include gas lasers (e.g., He-Ne), diode lasers, solid-state lasers, and fiber lasers.
What are some practical applications of lasers?
Lasers are used in medicine (surgery, eye treatments), telecommunications, barcode scanners, cutting and welding, and various research applications.
What safety precautions should be taken when working with lasers?
Appropriate eye protection and strict adherence to safety protocols are necessary to avoid damage from high-intensity laser beams.
How is the wavelength of a laser determined?
The wavelength is determined by the energy difference between the lasing levels in the gain medium.
What is the role of the mirrors in a laser setup?
Mirrors form the resonant optical cavity, reflecting light back and forth to enable amplification through stimulated emission.
Differentiate between continuous-wave and pulsed lasers.
Continuous-wave lasers emit a steady, constant beam of light, while pulsed lasers emit light in short, high-intensity bursts.
What does the acronym LASER stand for?
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
What is the principle behind laser operation?
Lasers operate on the principle of stimulated emission, where an incoming photon causes an excited electron to drop to a lower energy level, emitting a second photon with identical properties.
What is population inversion and why is it important for lasers?
Population inversion is a state in which more electrons occupy a higher energy level than a lower one, which is necessary to achieve net stimulated emission.
Explain stimulated emission.
Stimulated emission occurs when an incoming photon stimulates an excited electron to drop to a lower energy state, releasing a photon that is coherent with the stimulating photon.
What does it mean for laser light to be coherent?
Coherent light has photons that are in phase with one another, resulting in a highly collimated and monochromatic beam.
How does an optical cavity contribute to laser function?
An optical cavity (typically made of two mirrors) reflects light back and forth through the gain medium, amplifying the light via repeated stimulated emission.
Name some common types of lasers.
Examples include gas lasers (e.g., He-Ne), diode lasers, solid-state lasers, and fiber lasers.
What are some practical applications of lasers?
Lasers are used in medicine (surgery, eye treatments), telecommunications, barcode scanners, cutting and welding, and various research applications.
What safety precautions should be taken when working with lasers?
Appropriate eye protection and strict adherence to safety protocols are necessary to avoid damage from high-intensity laser beams.
How is the wavelength of a laser determined?
The wavelength is determined by the energy difference between the lasing levels in the gain medium.
What is the role of the mirrors in a laser setup?
Mirrors form the resonant optical cavity, reflecting light back and forth to enable amplification through stimulated emission.
Differentiate between continuous-wave and pulsed lasers.
Continuous-wave lasers emit a steady, constant beam of light, while pulsed lasers emit light in short, high-intensity bursts.
