Chapter 3:

Fundamentals of Laser Operation

L(ight wave) A(mplification by) S(timulated)
E(mission of) Radiation (LASER)
First page of the notebook wherein
Gordon Gould coined the LASER
acronym in November 1957

Definition: A LASER is a device that

emits electromagnetic radiation
through a process of optical
amplification based on stimulated
emission of photons

The photon is a light energy

that any atom releases has a
certain wavelength that is
dependent on the energy
difference between the
excited state and the ground
state
Properties of Laser Light
Laser Light Normal Light

Varying wavelength
Incandescent vs. Laser Light

1. Many wavelengths 1. Monochromatic

2. Multidirectional 2. Directional
3. Incoherent 3. Coherent
 Ordinary Light:

Laser (Monochromatic &

Coherent):
 Characteristics of Laser Beam
 Coherent
 Monochromatic
 Low Divergence : Directional
 Tightly Focusable : Spot size ~ (m)
 High Brightness
 High Power: 103 - 1012 W
 High Intensity: 1012- 1015 W/cm2
 Ultra-short Pulse, ~ 10 femtosec (1fs= 10-15s)
Laser Fundamentals

1. The light emitted from a laser is monochromatic, that is, it

is of one color/wavelength. In contrast, ordinary white light
is a combination of many colors (or wavelengths) of light.

2. Lasers emit light that is highly directional, that is, laser

light is emitted as a relatively narrow beam in a specific
direction. Ordinary light, such as from a light bulb, is
emitted in many directions away from the source.

3. The light from a laser is said to be coherent, which means

that the wavelengths of the laser light are in phase in space
and time. Ordinary light can be a mixture of many
wavelengths.
• These three properties of laser light are
what can make it more hazardous than
ordinary light.

• Laser light can deposit a lot of energy

within a small area.
Directionality:
Power Density
100 Watt Bulb Power Density = P / A
= 100 / (4(4))
~ 2 Watt / m2

Light Bulb power is less than 100,000 times of Laser powe

Beam Dia. = 2mm
Power Density = P / A
= .001 / ((.001)2)
~ 320 Watt / m2
0.001 Watt

Never look at Laser Beam Directly

Elements of a Laser
3 2
4

1
Common Components of all Lasers
1. Active Medium
The active medium may be solid crystals such as ruby or Nd:YAG,
liquid dyes, gases like CO2 or Helium/Neon, or semiconductors
such as GaAs. Active mediums contain atoms whose electrons
may be excited to a metastable energy level by an energy source.
2.Excitation Mechanism
Excitation mechanisms pump energy into the active medium by
one or more of three basic methods: optical, electrical or
chemical.
3.High Reflectance Mirror
A mirror which reflects essentially 100% of the laser light.
4.Partially Transmissive Mirror
A mirror which reflects less than 100% of the laser light and
transmits the remainder.
 Energy Level Diagram

The possible energies which electrons in the atom can have is

depicted in an energy level diagram.

E4
E3

E2

E1
 Two Level System

E2 E2

hn hn
hn
Photon Energy
hn =E2-E1
E1 E1

Absorption Spontaneous Stimulated

emission emission
 Stimulated Emission

Emitted
photon

Incident
photon Excited Incident
electron photon
Unexcited
electron

Before emission After emission

 In order to obtain the coherent light from stimulated
emission, two conditions must be satisfied:

1. Inverted Population
 Where more atoms are in the upper state than in the lower one, so
that emission of photons will dominate over absorption.
 The atoms must be excited to the higher state.
 Population Inversion: When a sizable population of electrons resides
in upper levels.

Unexcited system Excited system

E3 E3
E2 E2
E1 E1
 2. 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 E3
Metastable state E2 E2
Incident photon
Photon of energy E2  E1

Emitted photon
E1 E1

Metastable system Stimulated emission

Operation of the Laser
Laser Working Principle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LmcUaWuYao
Types of Laser
Based on the mode of operation
(i) Pulsed Laser systems (ii) High power Q-switched systems
(iii) Continuous wave Laser systems

Based on the mechanism in which Population

Inversion is achieved
(i) Three level lasers (ii) Four level lasers

Based on state of active medium used

(i) Gas Laser (ii) Solid state Laser
(iii) Semiconductor Laser (iv) Tunable dye Laser
Tasks Lasers Can Perform
Heat Cool Burn Evaporate

Ablate Excite Communicate Detect

Cure Compute Cut Drill

Search Trap Measure Weld

Write Read Entertain NDT

* With High Precision & Fast

 Laser Material Processing

 A laser beam focused on a material generates very high

power density capable of heating, melting & vaporizing any
material.

 The above feature has been utilized for various

manufacturing operations, with unique advantages over
conventional methods
Major Application Areas:
 Cutting: wide range of materials without regard to their hardness
 Welding: autogenous welding of similar & dissimilar materials,
narrow HAZ (Heat Affected Zone).
 Surface Hardening: localized treatment, little distortion, self-
quenching
 Surface Alloying & Cladding: Modified microstructure with
improved characteristics, very little dilution in cladding
 Drilling: Small holes in hard, brittle materials, heat sensitive
alloys
 Marking: Finished products of any material- plastics, ceramics,
metal
Heating  Surface Transformation Hardening
Metal Forming
Melting  Welding,
Metal Cutting  Assist Gas
Surface Re-solidification, Glazing
Surface Alloying   External
Surface Cladding  Materials
Vaporization  Drilling Holes
Cutting of non-metals e.g. Ceramics, Wood,
Concrete, Glass etc.
Surface cleaning, Paint stripping
Ablation with Ultra short Laser Pulses  Hi-precision
drilling & Cutting
Plasma Formation  Laser Peening
 Laser Processing Setup

 Laser Beam is absorbed within 10’s nm depth of metal surface

 Further heating by thermal diffusion
Laser Material Processing Parameters

Laser Beam: Power (Cont.Wave, Pulsed,

Modulated) Mode, Polarization,
Nozzle: Conical, Wavelength
Cylindrical,
Supersonic Processing gas:
Type of gas &
Shroud gas: Pressure
Composition & Externally added
Pressure material (ex. For coating or
surface modification):
Shroud Design Composition Properties,
Flow rate
Focus: Relative motion:
spot size & position Direction w.r.t. Beam
Polarization
Laser Material Processing – I
Cutting, Drilling and Marking
Sheet metal cutting is the dominant
industrial use of lasers in materials
processing.

About 12,000 industrial laser cutting

systems have been installed world-wide,
total market value of 4.5 billion US dollars.

29
Laser Cutting Process:
A high power laser beam is focused onto work-piece
Focal spot size ~ 0.1 – 0.3 mm
Power density of 1kW power at focal spot of 0.3mm ~ 1.4 X1010 W/m2
Heating of material: * Melting and * Vaporization
Pressurized co-axial gas jet ejects the molten / vaporized material

30
 Advantages of the process:
• Narrow Kerf width
• High Accuracy
• Low HAZ (Heat Affected Zone)
• High productivity
• Low noise
• Low roughness
• Easy to cut hard materials
• No problem of tool wear
• Easy to produce complex Profiles
• Straight cut edges with sharp corners
• Cut edges can be welded with further machining
• Very low distortion
• High flexibility in 3D cutting Major Limitations:
• High capital cost
• Cutting of high reflective materials
• Cutting thicker metals > 1 inch.
Laser Sheet Metal Cutting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udj10BVPQVE
Thank You