Understanding Lasers: An Entry-Level Guide

The expanded fourth edition of the book that offers an essential introduction to laser technology and the newest developments in the field The revised and updated fourth edition of Understanding Lasers offers an essential guide and introduction that explores how lasers work, what they do, and how they are applied in the real world. The author—a Fellow of The Optical Society—reviews the key concepts of physics and optics that are essential for understanding lasers and explains how lasers operate. The book also contains information on the optical accessories used with lasers. Written in non-technical terms, the book gives an overview of the wide-variety laser types and configurations. Understanding Lasers covers fiber, solid-state, excimer, helium-neon, carbon dioxide, free-electron lasers, and more. In addition, the book also explains concepts such as the difference between laser oscillation and amplification, the importance of laser gain, and tunable lasers. The updated fourth edition highlights the most recent research and development in the field. This important resource: Includes a new chapter on fiber lasers and amplifiers Reviews new topics on physics of optical fibers and fiber lasers, disk lasers, and Ytterbium lasers Contains new sections on Laser Geometry and Implications, Diode Laser Structures, Optimal Parametric Sources, and 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Puts the focus on research and emerging developments in areas such as spectroscopy, slow light, laser cooling, and extremely precise measurements Contains appendices, glossary, and index that help make this book a useful reference  Written for engineering and physics students, engineers, scientists, and technicians, the fourth edition of Understanding Lasers contains the basic concepts of lasers and the most recent advances in the technology. 

Table of Contents:
Preface xiii CHAPTER 1 Introduction and Overview 1 1.1 Lasers, Optics, and Photonics 1 1.2 Understanding the Laser 3 1.3 What Is a Laser? 4 1.4 Laser Materials and Types 8 1.5 Optical Properties of Laser Light 10 1.6 How Lasers Are Used? 14 1.7 What Have We Learned? 17 CHAPTER 2 Physical Basics 21 2.1 Electromagnetic Waves and Photons 21 2.2 Quantum and Classical Physics 29 2.3 Interactions of Light and Matter 39 2.4 Basic Optics and Simple Lenses 47 2.5 Fiber Optics 51 2.6 What Have We Learned? 54 CHAPTER 3 How Lasers Work 59 3.1 Building a Laser 59 3.2 Producing a Population Inversion 60 3.3 Resonant Cavities 66 3.4 Laser Beams and Resonance 73 3.5 Wavelength Selection and Tuning 81 3.6 Laser Excitation and Efficiency 85 3.7 What Have We Learned? 89 CHAPTER 4 Laser Characteristics 95 4.1 Coherence 95 4.2 Laser Wavelengths 98 4.3 Properties of Laser Beams 103 4.4 Laser Power 108 4.5 Laser Efficiency 110 4.6 Pulse Characteristics 115 4.7 Polarization 120 4.8 What Have We Learned? 121 CHAPTER 5 Optics, Laser Accessories, and Measurements 127 5.1 Classical Optical Devices 127 5.2 Optical Materials 136 5.3 Optical Coatings and Filters 141 5.4 Beam Delivery, Direction, and Propagation 145 5.5 Mounting and Positioning Equipment 148 5.6 Nonlinear Optics 149 5.7 Beam Modulation and Output Control 156 5.8 Measurements in Optics 159 5.9 What Have We Learned? 164 CHAPTER 6 Laser Types, Features, and Enhancements 169 6.1 Perspectives on Laser Types 169 6.2 Laser Media 171 6.3 Pumping and Energy Storage 177 6.4 Laser Pulse Characteristics 182 6.5 Wavelength Conversion 195 6.6 Laser Oscillators and Optical Amplifiers 201 6.7 Wavelength Options 207 6.8 Laser-Like Light Sources 209 6.9 What Have We Learned? 211 CHAPTER 7 Gas Lasers 217 7.1 The Gas-Laser Family 217 7.2 Gas-Laser Basics 218 7.3 Helium–Neon Lasers 225 7.4 Argon- and Krypton-Ion Lasers 229 7.5 Metal-Vapor Lasers 232 7.6 Carbon Dioxide Lasers 235 7.7 Excimer Lasers 240 7.8 Nitrogen Lasers 243 7.9 Chemical Lasers 243 7.10 Other Gas Lasers 246 7.11 What Have We Learned? 247 CHAPTER 8 Solid-State Lasers 253 8.1 What Is a Solid-State Laser? 253 8.2 Solid-State Laser Materials 258 8.3 Solid-State Laser Configurations 265 8.4 Major Solid-State Laser Materials 271 8.5 Optically Pumped Semiconductor Lasers 284 8.6 Broadband and Tunable Solid-State Lasers 288 8.7 Pulsed Solid-State Lasers 294 8.8 What Have We Learned? 295 CHAPTER 9 Fiber Lasers and Amplifiers 301 9.1 What Are Fiber Lasers? 301 9.2 Optical Fiber Structures 306 9.3 Fiber Laser Design and Efficiency 310 9.4 Rare-Earth-Doped Fiber Lasers 318 9.5 Rare-Earth-Doped Fiber Amplifiers 328 9.6 Raman Fiber Lasers and Amplifiers 332 9.7 What Have We Learned? 335 CHAPTER 10 Diode and Other Semiconductor Lasers 341 10.1 Types of Semiconductor Lasers 341 10.2 Development of Diode Lasers 342 10.3 Semiconductor Basics 344 10.4 Comparing LED and Diode-Laser Emission 353 10.5 Confining Light and Current 359 10.6 Edge-Emitting Diode Lasers 370 10.7 Surface-Emitting Diode Lasers 375 10.8 Optical Properties of Diode Lasers 379 10.9 Diode-Laser Materials and Wavelengths 381 10.10 Quantum Cascade Lasers and Related Types 390 10.11 What Have We Learned? 393 CHAPTER 11 Other Lasers and Laser-Like Sources 399 11.1 Tunable Dye Lasers 399 11.2 Optical Parametric Sources 404 11.3 Supercontinuum Sources 408 11.4 Frequency Combs 408 11.5 Extreme Ultraviolet Sources 410 11.6 Free-Electron Lasers 416 11.7 What Have We Learned? 420 CHAPTER 12 Low-Power Laser Applications 425 12.1 Advantages of Laser Light 426 12.2 Reading with Lasers 433 12.3 Optical Disks and Data Storage 437 12.4 Laser Printing 440 12.5 Lasers in Fiber-Optic Communications 442 12.6 Laser Measurement 447 12.7 Laser Light Shows, Pointers, and Projection Displays 453 12.8 Low-Power Defense Applications 456 12.9 Sensing and Spectroscopy 459 12.10 Holography 464 12.11 Other Low-Power Applications 468 12.12 What Have We Learned? 469 CHAPTER 13 High-Power Laser Applications 475 13.1 High- Versus Low-Power Laser Applications 475 13.2 Attractions of High-Power Lasers 476 13.3 Important Considerations and Trends 477 13.4 Materials Working 481 13.5 Additive Manufacturing and Three-Dimensional Printing 489 13.6 Semiconductor Electronics Fabrication 491 13.7 Laser Medical Treatment 493 13.8 Photochemistry and Isotope Separation 501 13.9 Laser-Driven Nuclear Fusion 503 13.10 High-Energy Laser Weapons 505 13.11 What Have We Learned? 510 CHAPTER 14 Lasers in Research 515 14.1 Lasers Open New Opportunities 515 14.2 Laser Spectroscopy 516 14.3 Manipulating Tiny Objects 521 14.4 Atom Lasers and Bose–Einstein Condensates 522 14.5 Detection of Gravitational Waves 524 14.6 Laser Guide Stars for Astronomy 525 14.7 Slow Light 526 14.8 Nanoscale Lasers 527 14.9 Strange Lasers 529 14.10 Extreme Power Ultrashort Pulse Lasers 530 14.11 X-Ray Free-Electron Lasers 535 14.12 Other Emerging Research 536 14.13 What Have We Learned? 538 Answers to Quiz Questions 543 Appendix A: Laser Safety 547 Appendix B: Handy Numbers and Formulas 553 Appendix C: Resources and Suggested Readings 557 Glossary 561 Index 575

About the Author :
Jeff Hecht, B.S. EE. Caltech, is a contributing editor for Laser Focus World, and a freelance science and technology writer for IEEE Spectrum, New Scientist, and other publications. Mr. Hecht is also a consultant in laser and fiber-optic technology, applications, and markets. He is a life senior member of the IEEE, Fellow of the Optical Society of America, and a member of the National Association of Science Writers.