Laser Fundamentals

William Silfvast received a BSc degree in both physics and mathematics and a PhD in physics from the University of Utah. In 1990, he joined the faculty of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida where he was Professor of Physics and Electrical Engineering as well as a member of the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL). In 1999 he also became a Professor of Optics at the School of Optics. He is presently Emeritus Professor of Optics. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Optical Society of America and the IEEE. He has carried out pioneering work in the fields of metal vapor lasers, recombination lasers, photoionization-pumped lasers, laser plasmas, and EUV lithography. He is the author of over 100 technical papers and holds more than 30 patents.

1. Introduction; Part I. Fundamental Wave Properties of Light: 2. Wave nature of light - the interacting of light with materials; Part II. Fundamental Quantum Properties of Light: 3. The particle nature of light - discrete energy levels; 4. Radiative transitions and emission linewidth; 5. Energy levels and radiative properties of molecules, liquids (organic dyes) and solids (dielectrics and semiconductors); 6. Radiation and thermal equilibrium - absorption and stimulated emission; Part III. Laser Amplifiers: 7. Conditions for producing a laser - population inversions, gain, and gain saturation; 8. Laser oscillation above threshold; 9. Requirements for obtaining population inversions; 10. Laser pumping requirements and techniques; Part IV. Laser Resonators: 11. Laser resonator modes; 12. Stable laser resonators and Gaussian beams; 13. Special laser cavities; Part V. Specific Laser Systems: 14. Laser systems involving low density gain media; 15. Laser systems involving high density gain media; Part VI. Frequency Multiplication of Laser Beams: 16. Frequency multiplication of lasers and other non linear optical effects.