Population Inversion

• Population inversion is the process of achieving greater population of higher

energy state as compared to the lower energy state. Population inversion
technique is mainly used for light amplification. The population inversion is
required for laser operation.
• Consider a group of electrons with two energy levels E1 and E2.
• The number of electrons per unit volume in an energy state is the population
of that energy state.
• Population inversion cannot be achieved in a two energy level system. Under
normal conditions, the number of electrons (N1) in the lower energy state (E1)
is always greater as compared to the number of electrons (N2) in the higher
energy state (E2).
i.e. N1 > N2
• When temperature increases, the population of higher energy state (N2) also
increases. However, the population of higher energy state (N2) will never
exceeds the population of lower energy state (N1).
• At best an equal population of the two states can be achieved which results in
no optical gain. i.e. N1 Goutam
= N2 Mohanty
• Therefore, we need 3 or more energy states to achieve population
inversion. The greater is the number of energy states the greater is
the optical gain.
• There are certain substances in which the electrons once excited;
they remain in the higher energy level or excited state for longer
period. Such systems are called active systems or active media which
are generally mixture of different elements.
• When such mixtures are formed, their electronic energy levels are
modified and some of them acquire special properties. Such types of
materials are used to form 3-level laser or 4-level laser.

Goutam Mohanty
3-level laser:
• Consider a system consisting of three energy levels E1, E2, E3 with N number of electrons. Let
N1 be the number of electrons in the energy state E1, N2 be the number of electrons in the energy
state E2 and N3 be the number of electrons in the energy state E3.
• We assume that E1 < E2 < E3.
• The energy level E1 is known as the ground state or lower energy state and the energy levels
E2 and E3 are known as excited states. The energy level E2 is sometimes referred to as Meta stable
state. The energy level E3 is sometimes referred to as pump state or pump level.
• Under normal conditions, N1 > N2 > N3. But to get laser emission or population inversion, N2
should be greater than N1.
• Under certain conditions, N2 > N1 is achieved. Such an arrangement is called population
inversion.
• Let us assume that initially the majority of electrons will be in the lower energy state or ground
state (E1) and only a small number of electrons will be in excited states (E2 and E3).
• When we supply light energy which is equal to the energy difference of E3 and E1, the electrons in
the lower energy state (E1) gains sufficient energy and jumps into the higher energy state (E3).
This process of supplying energy is called pumping.
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• The lifetime of electrons in the energy state E3 is very small as compared to the lifetime of electrons in the
energy state E2. Therefore, electrons in the energy level E3 does not stay for long period. After a short period,
they quickly fall to the Meta stable state or energy state E2 and releases radiation less energy instead of
photons. Because of the shorter lifetime(10-8 sec), only a small number of electrons accumulate in the energy
state E3.
• The electrons in the Meta stable state E2 will remain there for longer period because of its longer lifetime(10-3
sec). As result, a large number of electrons accumulate in Meta stable state. Thus, we can get N2 > N1 > N3. So
we can achieve population inversion between energy levels E1 and E2.
• After completion of lifetime of electrons in the Meta stable state, they fall back to the lower energy state or
ground state E1 by releasing energy in the form of photons. This process of emission of photons is called
spontaneous emission.
• When this emitted photon interacts with the electron in the Meta stable state E2, it forces that electron to fall
back to the ground state. As a result, two photons are emitted. This process of emission of photons is called
stimulated emission.
• When these photons again interacted with the electrons in the Meta stable state, they forces two Meta
stable state electrons to fall back to the ground state. As a result, four photons are emitted. Likewise, a large
number of photons are emitted.
• As a result, millions of photons are emitted by using small number of photons. Thus, light amplification is
achieved by using population inversion method. The system which uses three energy levels is known as 3-
level laser.
• Drawbacks: In a 3-level laser, at least half the population of electrons must be excited to the higher energy
state to achieve population inversion. Therefore, the laser medium must be very strongly pumped. This
makes 3-level lasers inefficient to produce photons or light.

Goutam Mohanty
N1 > N2 > N3
E1 < E2 < E3

N2 > N1 > N3
E1 < E2 < E3

Goutam Mohanty
4-level laser:
• Consider a group of electrons with four energy levels E1, E2, E3, E4 with E1 < E2 < E3 < E4 .
• The number of electrons in the lower energy state or ground state is given by N1, the number of electrons in
the energy state E2 is given by N2, the number of electrons in the energy state E3 is given by N3 and the
number of electrons in the energy state E4 is given by N4.
• The lifetime of electrons in the energy state E4 and energy state E2 is very less. Therefore, electrons in these
states will only stay for very short period (10-8 sec.)
• When we supply light energy which is equal to the energy difference of E4 and E1, the electrons in the lower
energy state E1 gains sufficient energy and jumps into the higher energy state E4.
• The lifetime of electrons in the energy state E4 is very small. Therefore, after a short period they fall back
into the next lower energy state E3 by releasing non-radiation energy.
• The lifetime of electrons in the energy state E3 is very large as compared to E4 and E2. As a result, a large
number of electrons accumulate in the energy level E3. After completion of their lifetime, the electrons in
the energy state E3 will fall back into the next lower energy state E2 by releasing energy in the form of
photons……Spontaneous emission happens
• Like the energy state E4, the lifetime of electrons in the energy state E2 is also very small. Therefore, the
electrons in the energy state E2 will quickly fall into the next lower energy state or ground state E1 by
releasing non-radiation energy.
• Thus, population inversion is achieved between energy states E3 and E2.
• In a 4-level laser, only a few electrons are excited to achieve population inversion. Therefore, a 4-level laser
produces light efficiently than a 3-level laser. In practical, more than four energy levels may be involved in
the laser process.

Goutam Mohanty
Goutam Mohanty
Components of Laser
A laser or laser system consists of three important components:

• Active medium

• Optical Resonator

• Pump source

Goutam Mohanty
Active medium:
• The active medium is a medium in which laser action is made to take place. The laser
medium will determine the characteristics of the laser light emitted.
• The laser medium can be solid, liquid, or gaseous where atoms/ions are lying in excited
state to facilitate stimulated emission. It should capable of population inversion
• This is also called gain medium or laser medium

Example:
Ruby laser is an example for solid-state laser. In this, a ruby crystal is used as an active
medium. In this laser, xenon discharge tube which provides a flash light acts as pump
source.

Helium – Neon laser is an example for gaseous laser. In this, neon is used as an active
medium. In this laser, radio frequency (RF) generator acts as pump source.
Goutam Mohanty
Optical Resonator:
• The laser medium is surrounded by two parallel mirrors which provides feedback of the
light. One mirror is fully reflective (100 % reflective) whereas another one is partially
reflective (~ 95-98 % reflective). These two mirrors as a whole is called optical resonator.
Optical resonator is also known as optical cavity or resonating cavity.
• The completely reflective mirror is called high reflector whereas the partially reflective
mirror is called output coupler. The output coupler will allows amplified light to leave the
optical cavity to produce the laser’s output beam.
λ
• This condition is must: = Where,
2 = length of cavity,
λ = wavelength of laser
n= 1,2,3..

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Pump source:
• The process of supplying energy to the laser medium to achieve population inversion is
called as pumping. The external source that supplies energy to the laser medium is called
pump source.
• The type of pump source used is depends on the laser medium.

Optical pumping
Electric discharge or excitation by electrons
Inelastic atom-atom collisions
Direct conversion
Chemical reactions

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Optical pumping:
 In this method, light is used to supply energy to the laser medium. For example xenon flash
lamp
 This method of pumping is used in solid state lasers such as ruby laser.

Electric discharge or excitation by electrons:

 In this method of pumping, electric discharge acts as the pump source or energy source.

 A high voltage electric discharge (flow of electrons, electric charge, or electric current) is
passed through the laser medium or gas.

 The intense electric field accelerates the electrons to high speeds and they collide with
neutral atoms in the gas. As a result, the electrons in the lower energy state gains sufficient
energy from external electrons and jumps into the higher energy state.
 This method of pumping is used in gas lasers such as argon lasers.

Goutam Mohanty
Inelastic atom-atom collisions
 In this method, pumping by electrical discharge provides the initial excitation which raises
ONE type of atoms to their excited states. These atoms collide inelastically with another type
of atoms and provide them sufficient energy to excite them to higher state and thus
population inversion achieved
 This method of pumping is used in gas lasers such as He-Ne laser.
Direct Conversion:
 In this method, the electrons combine with holes producing laser light. This it is direct
conversion of electrical to light.
 This method of pumping is used in gas lasers such as Semiconductor lasers.

Chemical Reaction:
 In this method, Radiation come out of a chemical reaction, without any need of other energy
source. For example when hydrogen combine with fluorine, heat energy is produced
 This method of pumping is used in gas lasers such as CO2 lasers.

Goutam Mohanty