PHTN1400
Principles of Laser Systems

(2010 Winter)

Course Info | Class Notes | Evaluation / Check Marks | Labs | Class Schedule & Homework |

Course Description

This is a practical course which examines the operating principles & procedures, maintenance, and applications of specific laser systems. Power sources, laser structure, cavity optics, basic laser processes, beam characteristics, and emission spectra for a selection of key commercial and research lasers including ion, CO2, excimer, YAG, ruby, and dye types will be examined. Specifics of wavelength selection (for multi-line lasers), pulse generation (including Q-switching and modelocking), and non-linear optics (harmonic generation and OPO) are included as well as applications for these techniques are examined. Safety issues (e.g. laser classes and interlock requirements) will also be covered. A laboratory component allows students to investigate the operational principles and several key applications of practical laser systems.

Argon Ion Output

The output of our Innova-90 argon laser is seen here. Using multi-line optics several wavelengths lase simultaneously. The output beam is then split by a diffraction grating to reveal all the spectral components. As tube current is increased gradually more lines begin to appear - in this case the current is relatively low (< 20A) so only five lines are lasing. Clearly visible are the 488 blue and 514 green lines. This laser is used to demonstrate Mode structures (TEMxx), wavelength selection, quantum principles (such as competition for energy levels), and ion laser hardware. In multi-line, multi-mode operation it can produce seven watts of blue-green laser light.


Prerequisites

You Are Here ...

This course is offered as part of the Photonics Engineering Technician (2 year) and Technology (3 year) Programs at Niagara College.

Evaluation ...

Check your Registration Status, Marks, and Lab Group Assignments here

Textbook


Specific Elements Of This Course

Laboratory components to accompany this material are also outlined on this page

AO Modulator Output

Students will use a Crystal Technologies AO Modulator in the laboratory to examine both Bragg and Raman-Nath regimes. Here a HeNe beam is diffracted by the modulator.


Class Schedule & Homework


Week #1 (2010/01/11):
  Introduction
  Entrance Examination (Wed, Jan 13, in class)
  HeNe lasers: role of each gas, levels and transitions, IR line suppression (how and why)
  Homework: review the "HeNe Laser - Case Study" document
Week #2 (2010/01/18):
  Lab (both groups on Friday) Safety Introduction
  Finish HeNe quantum - situations with shared ULL and shared LLL
  HeNe power supplies
  Ion Lasers: energy levels and transitions, ion tube construction
    References: Csele chapter 9 and Hecht on ion lasers (read this)
  Homework: Complete the safety quiz on blackboard
            Complete the prelab for lab #1 (Read the "SPINTRO" document)
            Read Hecht on Ion Lasers
Week #3 (2010/01/25):
  The Safety Quiz must be completed before the lab this week
  Lab #1 this week
  Ion lasers: magnetic field, gas ballast/replenishment
  Ion laser power supplies
  Cavity optics, wavelength selection, longitudinal modes
  Homework: read "Ion Lasers - A Summary" document
Week #4 (2010/02/01):
  Lab #1 this week
  Single-line operation, wavelength selection
  Longitudinal modes, use of etalons
  Cavity configurations and stability, calculating radius of curvature
  Homework: complete the prelab for lab #2
Week #5 (2010/02/08):
  Lab #2 this week, Lab #1 DUE this week
  CO2 lasers: role of gases, energy levels and transitions, Optics
  Homework: Read Chapter 11, Review HeNe and Ion material for midterm
Week #6 (2010/02/15):
  Lab #2 this week
  E/P ratio for gases
  Low-pressure CO2 laser design (continued)
  Review for Midterm #1
  Homework: STUDY !!!!
Week #7 (2010/02/22):
  Lab #3 this week, Lab #2 DUE this week (Fri)
  Midterm #1 in Class on Tuesday
  Midterm handed-back, reviewed in class (Wed)
  High-pressure (TEA) CO2 laser design, preionizer, discharge circuitry
Week #8 (2010/03/01):
  March Break - No Classes
Week #9 (2010/03/08):
  Lab #3 this week
  Finish TEA laser design - thyratron and spark-gap switches  
  UV Gas Lasers: Excimer and N2
    Excimer - Gas mixes, quantum details
    Nitrogen lasers - quantum, level lifetimes, Fast (Blumlein) design
Week #10 (2010/03/15):
  Lab #4 this week, Lab #3 DUE this week (Fri)
  Solid State Lasers: Pump Sources, Wavelength stability issues
Week #11 (2010/03/22):
  Lab #4 this week
  Q-Switching (Methods)
  Q-Switching (AO - diffraction types, EO - halfwave voltages)
  Q-Switching (AO and EO devices)
  Review for Midterm #2 (Thursday)
  Homework: STUDY !!!!
Week #12 (2010/03/29):
  Lab #4 DUE this week (THURSDAY)
  Q-Switching (EO - %T calcualtions, gain computations)
  Q-Switching (Minimum holdoff required)
  First Pulse suppression
  Midterm #2 in Class on Thursday
Week #13 (2010/04/05):
  Lab #5 this week
  Review Midterm #2
  Cavity Dumping and Modelocking
  Non-Linear / SHG (principles)
  Non-Linear (coefficients, magnitudes)
Week #14 (2010/04/12):
  Lab #5 this week
  Non-Linear materials (and damage threshold calculations)
Week #15 (2010/04/19):
  Lab #5 DUE this week
  Final Exam Review

Texts and Reading List


Course Notes

Classroom Presentations and Augmenting Material: General Notes:

Laboratory Assignments

Students in 2010W will complete five laboratory assignments, each two-weeks in length. Lab sections are split into smaller groups (A and B) which perform different parts of the lab alternatively.

A penalty of 50% is levied for an absence during a lab period. All labs are due one week after they are completed in the laboratory by or at the time of the beginning of the lab period after which they are considered late and penalized at the rate of 10% per day (i.e. the 'day' late begins at the beginning of the lab).


Contacts:

For the undergrad Photonics program ...
Program Coordinator Jay Yatulis
Office: V14
Telephone (905) 735-2211 x.7633
E-Mail: (Be sure to include 'Photonics' in the subject line to avoid deletion by an anti-spam filter)

For this course ...
Professor Mark Csele
Office: L-17 (Office hours are POSTED on the EL panel on the door)
Telephone: (905) 735-2211 x.7629
E-Mail: (Be sure to include 'Lasers' in the subject line to avoid deletion by an anti-spam filter)
URL: http://technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mcsele


Copyright (C) Mark Csele and Niagara College, Canada, 2005-2010
Some images and text are published in Fundamentals of Light Sources and Lasers by Csele, Wiley (2004), ISBN 0-471-47660-9 and hence are Copyright (C) John Wiley and Sons. Further reproduction in any form is prohibited without written approval from the publisher.

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