Introduction to the Physics of Lasers

The textbook presents the physics of lasers in a logical progression starting with Maxwell’s equations and light as an electromagnetic wave interacting resonantly with a material medium in the presence of optical feedback and excitation of the medium by a power source.

This textbook provides an accessible introduction to laser physics, exploring three key questions: what is special about laser light, what is the physics underlying laser light generation and how it can be used to manipulate laser light. The material is presented in a manner that helps the reader develop an understanding of the underlying physics principles and processes without getting bogged down in mathematical details but there is enough mathematics for the understanding to be quantitative. The book begins by describing the special properties of laser light and focuses on the physics of light-matter interaction to understand how it acquires them. It builds upon Maxwells equations for light and the classical electron oscillator model for the atoms, augmented with a quantum mechanical picture of atomic energy levels, to provide an accurate physical understanding of light-matter interaction. This approach bypasses the need for a course in quantum theory. Derivations of key equations are included not only to help readers follow the development of the subject, but also to illustrate that to approximate, simplify, and get analytic results is integral to understanding any complex phenomenon. Subjects such as nonlinear pulse propagation and nonlinear optics are discussed, but only at a level that should help readers to get started in these fields. The choice of topics has been limited to atomic/molecular lasers to allow for their coverage in one semester long course. Problems, references and illustrations are included throughout the book, making it an ideal textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate physics and engineering students. Students do not require prior knowledge of physics much beyond an undergraduate-level introduction to electromagnetic theory, including Maxwell’s equations, polarization in atomic media and electromagnetic wave propagation. Key features:· Provides a qualitative and quantitative understanding and appreciation of special properties of laser light. · Explores quantum statistics of laser light· Presents an analytical approach to pulse formation