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EEE 460 Exp 4 July 2023

This experiment aims to study the gain and threshold characteristics of lasers. Specifically, it seeks to: 1) Calculate the gain lineshape and locate competing lasing modes. 2) Calculate the threshold gain and understand its dependence on cavity parameters. 3) Identify lasing modes and study the effects of population inversion on the number of lasing modes. The document provides background on calculating gain coefficient, cavity modes, and threshold gain. It then presents problems to apply these concepts to a He-Ne gas laser and examine how changing factors affect lasing.

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Tahmeed Ul Islam
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25 views2 pages

EEE 460 Exp 4 July 2023

This experiment aims to study the gain and threshold characteristics of lasers. Specifically, it seeks to: 1) Calculate the gain lineshape and locate competing lasing modes. 2) Calculate the threshold gain and understand its dependence on cavity parameters. 3) Identify lasing modes and study the effects of population inversion on the number of lasing modes. The document provides background on calculating gain coefficient, cavity modes, and threshold gain. It then presents problems to apply these concepts to a He-Ne gas laser and examine how changing factors affect lasing.

Uploaded by

Tahmeed Ul Islam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EEE 460: Optoelectronics Laboratory

Experiment No. 4

Name of the Experiment: Study of the gain and threshold characteristics of lasers.

Objectives: The objectives of this experiments are the following:


• To be able to calculate the gain lineshape of lasers and locate competing lasing
modes.
• To be able to calculate the threshold gain and understand its dependence on cavity
parameters.
• To be able to identify lasing modes and study the effects of population inversion on the
number of lasing modes.

Prelab:
• Reading assignment: relevant section of textbook.

1) Calculation of gain coefficient


The lasing emission does not occur at a discrete photon energy hn, rather is usually distributed
in photon energy or frequency over some frequency interval Dn. The spread Dn, for example,
can be due to Doppler broadening or broadening of the energy levels E2 and E1. The spectral
shape of the gain curve is called the lineshape function. The gain coefficient at the center of
lineshape, i.e., at the transition frequency 𝜐! is given by
𝑛𝑐 "
𝑔(𝜐! ) ≈ (𝑁" − 𝑁# ) ,
8𝜋𝜐!" 𝜏$% Δ𝜐
where N2 and N1 are the population densities at E2 and E1, 𝜏$% is the spontaneous lifetime, n is
the refractive index of gain material, and c is the speed of light.

2) Calculation of cavity modes


Suppose that for simplicity we consider an optical cavity of length L with parallel end mirrors.
Such an optical cavity is called Fabry-Perot optical resonator or etalon. The reflections from
the end mirrors of a laser give rise to traveling waves in opposite directions within the cavity.
These oppositely traveling waves interfere constructively to set up a standing wave, that is
stationary electromagnetic (EM) oscillations. Only standing waves with certain wavelengths
can be maintained within the optical cavity. Any standing wave in the cavity must have an
integer number of half-wavelength l/2 that fit into the cavity length L,

𝜆
𝑚1 4 = 𝐿 (1)
2

where m is an integer that is called the mode number of the standing wave. The wavelength l
in Eq. (1) is that within the cavity medium but for gas lasers the refractive index is nearly unity
and l is the same as the free space wavelength. Each possible standing wave within the laser
tube (cavity) satisfying Eq. (1) is called a cavity mode. The modes that exist along the cavity
axis are called axial or longitudinal modes.
The separation ∆𝜆& between two consecutive modes (m and m+1) is
2𝐿
∆𝜆& = 𝜆& − 𝜆&'# ≈ "
𝑚

It is important to realize that even if the laser medium has an optical gain, the optical cavity
will always have some losses inasmuch as some radiation will be transmitted through the
mirrors, and there will be various losses such as scattering within the cavity. Only those modes
that have an optical gain that can make up for the radiation losses from the cavity can exist.

3) Calculation of threshold gain


The optical gain needed in the medium to achieve a continuous wave lasing emission, i.e., the
threshold gain is given by

1 1
𝑔() = 𝛾 + ln 1 4,
2𝐿 𝑅# 𝑅"

where g is the loss coefficient of the gain medium, and R1 and R2 are reflectances from mirrors
at the two ends.

Problems:
Consider a He-Ne gas laser operating at 623.8 nm. The tube length 𝐿 = 50 cm, tube
diameter is 1.5 nm and mirror reflectances 𝑅# = 100% and 𝑅" = 90%. The linewidth ∆𝜐 =
1.5 GHz, the loss coefficient 𝛾 ≈ 0.05 m*# , spontaneous decay time constant 𝜏+, ≈
300 ns, 𝑛 ≈ 1.
1. Calculate the gain coefficient at the center of gain lineshape 𝑔(𝜐! ). Assuming Gaussian
broadening, plot the gain lineshape. Calculate and show the modes that exist within the
linewidth assuming a Fabry-Perot cavity. Assume 𝑁" − 𝑁# = 4 × 10#- m*. .
2. Calculate the threshold gain gth. Consider three cases: (a) 𝑅# = 100% and 𝑅" = 100%, (b)
𝑅# = 100% and 𝑅" = 0, (c) 𝑅# = 100% and 𝑅" = 10% − 90%. For the last case, vary L
from 10 cm to 100 cm, and show how gth depends on L.
3. Now, consider the calculated gain lineshape with modes and gth, and find out whether the
laser would lase. If it should lase, locate the mode(s) that you would expect to be found in
the output. Show the effects of changing 𝑁" − 𝑁# on the number of modes that you might
expect to lase.

Assignments:
Present results with detail discussions.

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