Basics of Laser Physics provides an introductory presentation of the field of all types of lasers. It contains a general description of the laser, a theoretical treatment and a characterization of its operation as it deals with gas, solid state, free-electron and semiconductor lasers and, furthermore, with a few laser related topics. The different subjects are connected to each other by the central principle of the laser, namely, that it is a self-oscillating system. Special emphasis is put on a uniform treatment of gas and solid-state lasers, on the one hand, and semiconductor lasers, on the other hand. The discussions and the treatment of equations are presented in a way that a reader can immediately follow. The book addresses undergraduate and graduate students of science and engineering. Not only should it enable instructors to prepare their lectures, but it can be helpful to students for preparing for an examination.

Inhalt

Part I General description of a laser and an example.- Laser principle.- Fabry-Perot resonator.- The active medium: energy levels and line broadening.- Titanium-sapphire laser.- Part II Theoretical basis of the laser.- Basis of the theory of the laser: the Einstein coefficients.- Amplification of coherent radiation.- Laser theory.- Polarization and current in a laser medium.- Part III Operation of a laser.- Cavity resonator.- Open resonator.- Different ways of operation of a laser.- Femtosecond laser.- Part IV Types of lasers (except semiconductor lasers).- Solid state laser.- Some other lasers and laser amplifiers.- Free-electron laser.- Part V Semiconductor lasers.- An introduction to semiconductor lasers.- Basis of the bipolar semiconductor laser.- GaAs quantum well laser.- Semiconductor materials and heterostructures.- Quantum well lasers from the UV to the infrared.- Reflectors of quantum well lasers.- More about the quantum well laser.- Quantum wire and quantum dot laser.- Double-heterostructure laser and homojunction laser and a comparison of semiconductor lasers.- Unipolar semiconductor laser.- Part VI Laser related topics.- Optical communication.- Light emitting diode.- Nonlinear Optics.