Population inversion, Pumping method,He- Ne laser & Application of laser

Population Inversion
Normally the population density of electron is more in the lower energy level than the higher energy level. i.e., Na > Nb
The process of achieving greater population density of electrons in the higher energy level as compared to lower energy level is called population inversion.

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Pumping method  
The process by which atoms are raised from lower energy level to the upper energy level so that necessary population inversion is obtained is called pumping. There are various methods of laser pumping:-
i)              Optical Pumping - To raise the electron from lower energy level to higher energy level, if we use light energy (Photon) then this pumping is known as optical pumping.
ii)        Direct electron excitation - In a discharge tube when a potential difference is applied, then electrons emit & these electrons collide with electrons of active medium & raise it to higher energy level. This produces the required population inversion. This method is called direct electron excitation.
iii)          Inelastic atom-atom collision - One type of atom raised to their excited state; this atom Collide with another type of atoms. After collision another atom reached to the higher energy level. This method is called inelastic atom-atom collision. E.g. - He-Ne laser.
iv)       Chemical conversion - In active liquid medium, the energy for raising the electrons from lower level to higher level is provided by adding chemical in liquid medium; this method of population inversion in known as chemical conversion.
v)         Direct conversion - In active medium, the energy for raising the electrons from lower energy level to higher energy level is provided by direct electrical energy. This method of population inversion is known as direct conversion.
Most of the laser based on it. It is the best way of population inversion.

He-Ne laser


Construction  
A discharge tube with completely filled with the mixture of He & Ne gases is taken, one fully silvered plane mirror is fixed at the left side of tube & partially silvered plane mirror is fixed on the right side. An arrangement is made for supplying electrons in the discharge tube to He & Ne mixture by means of potential difference.

Working
When electric potential is applied to the gas mixture of He & Ne (Ratio - 10:1); electrons are accelerated in the discharge tube. These accelerated electrons collide with He atoms & excited them to higher energy level (let me say F2 & F3).
When He atoms in levels F2 & F3 collide with the Ne atoms in the ground state E1, then energy exchange takes place & thus results in the excitation of Ne atoms to the level E4 & E6 & de-excitation of the He atoms to the ground level F1. Therefore the electric discharge through the gas mixture continuously populates the Ne excited levels E4 & E6. This helps to create a state of population inversion between the level E4 (or E6) & lower energy level E5 & E3.


The following three transition will occur:-  
  1. E6 to E5 with laser 3.39 micro meter.
  2. E6 to E3 with laser 6228 Å
  3. E4 to E3 with laser 1.15 micro meter.
Fully silvered mirror shows reflection for small wave length laser (i.e., 3.39 & 1.15 micro meter). Thus photon of these wavelength is eliminated & only 6328  emerges through the partially silvered mirror.

Application of laser
a)   Medicine - Eye Surgery vision correction, tattoo removal, hair removal etc.
b)  Military - In few cases laser are used as a weapon.
c)   Communication - Optical fiber communication; used for long distance optical data transmission.
d)  Industry - Cutting, drilling, welding, soldering etc.
e)   Holography - In recording and reconstruction of image in holography.

                                                                  



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