L 36 Modern Physics [2]

z How

How lasers work

First we must understand
the difference between
incoherent and
coherent radiation
Ordinary light sources
(light bulbs, fluorescent
lights, etc) produce
incoherent light
lasers produce coherent
light all atoms radiate
in the same manner

lasers work

Medical applications of lasers

z Applications of high power lasers
z

z Medical

imaging techniques

CAT scans
z MRIs
z

Spontaneous vs Stimulated Emission

Coherent radiation is
produced when an atom
undergoes stimulated
emission.
Spontaneous emission occurs
when an electron makes an
unprovoked transition to a
lower energy level
Stimulated emission occurs
when an incoming photon
induces the electron to
change energy levels
amplification

Ei (larger energy)

photon
Ef (smaller energy)

Spontaneous emission

Incoming
photon

Stimulated emission

Population Inversion
In a normal situation (a)
more atoms are in the
lower state than the
upper state
If an external energy
source is provided to
excite electrons into a
higher energy state, a
population inversion can
be created as in (b)
this is called pumping

Simulated emission
With stimulated emission, one photon
comes in and its vibrations cause the
electron to fall to the lower energy level,
emitting another photon (the bridge)
Thus, one photon goes in and 2 come out,
moving in step and in the same direction
To get a system of atoms to undergo lasing
action, we must arrange to have many
atoms in the excited state this is called
population inversion.

The laser medium

The atoms are pumped
into an excited state
The excited electrons
fall into an intermediate
state (upper laser state)
and stay there until a
photon comes along
and causes them to fall
down to the lower laser
state.

He Ne Laser (633 nm red)

A HeNe laser is a gas laser which uses a
medium of 15% Helium and 85% Neon.
A high voltage discharge is produced in this gas
mixture and this produces the population
inversion.
The lasing action starts when one atom emits a
photon which then induces another atom to emit
and so on.
The partially silvered mirror keeps most of the
photons in.
Photons which are not moving horizontally do no
become part of the laser beam.

Medical Applications of Lasers

Laser surgery to correct for

(a) nearsightedness, and
(b) farsightedness

A Helium-Neon (HeNe) Laser

Applications of High Power Lasers

Using lasers to
Cut metals

Laser
Fusion

Multiple beams of a powerful laser are focused

on a tiny pellet containing fusion fuel. The
laser energy compresses the pellet producing
a mini-hydrogen bomb that produces energy

pellet

Lasers Diodes

Solid State Laser Diodes

small

Come in a variety of
different colors

Medical Imaging Techniques

x-rays
CT and CAT scans (Computerized
Tomography)
MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A pineapple and a bananna

A shadow image can be
misleading
two shadows taken from
different angles provides
a better picture
shadows taken at
multiple angles gives a
more complete picture
this is what a CT or CAT
scan does

Diode lasers use semiconductor materials

(tiny chips of silicon) as the lasing media
When current flows through the silicon
chip it emits an intense beam of coherent
light.
Diode lasers are used to read the
information embedded in the pits in CDs
and DVDs, and also to read UPCs in bar
code scanners and in laser pointers!

X-rays
very short wavelength
(0.01 0.1 nm)
electromagnetic waves
produced when
energetic electrons
slam into a metal target
able to penetrate soft
tissue, but not bone
produces a two
dimensional shadow
image

CAT Scans

X ray images are taken at many different angles

passing through the patient. Some of the cuts
overlap. A full three dimensional image can be
reconstructed using computers.
this procedure is called tomography.

Computerized Tomography
A computerized tomography
or CT scan image is formed
by analyzing x-ray shadow
images taken at many
different angles and
positions
an x-ray source and an array
of electronic detectors
rotates around the patient as
the patient slowly moves
through the ring.

MRI- how does it work?

MRI works by locating the hydrogen atoms
inside the body. Since the body is mostly
water, there are lots of hydrogen atoms
the nucleus of a hydrogen atom is a single
protons. Protons behave like tiny bar
magnets with a north pole at one end and
a south pole at the other end.
If you put a bar magnet in a magnetic field,
it will try to align itself with the field.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The rules of atomic physics (quantum
mechanics) require that the atomic
hydrogen bar magnets can only have 2
orientations when placed in a magnetic
field either parallel or antiparallel to it,
we call this spin-up or spin-down
magnetic
field

spin-down

spin-up

Is there a better medical diagnostic?

A CAT scan does a good job of imaging
bones, but it does not provide as good an
image of soft tissue
Also, it requires that the patient receives a
big dose of x-rays, which can be harmful in
themselves it is an invasive diagnostic
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a
better method of imaging soft tissue

A bar magnet in a magnetic field

magnetic field

N
N

S
S

Solenoid for producing a strong

magnetic field by passing a large current
through a set of coils

Magnetic Resonance
Protons has a spin that can be either
up or down relative to the direction of
the magnetic field
If radio waves (FM) hit the protons, it can
cause it them to flip from one spin state to
the other at a frequency that depends on
the strength of the magnetic field
These spin flips result in the absorption or
release of radio wave energy that can be
detected electronically

protons

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In effect, the magnetic field makes the
protons act like tiny radio transmitters that
only broadcast their signal when the value
of the magnetic field is just right
By varying the strength of the magnetic
field as a function of position in the body,
the spin flips can be detected in various
parts of the body
A computer is used to combine the signals
from various parts of the body to generate
detailed cross-sectional images

MRI DEVICE

Homer

MRI safety considerations

The magnetic field used in MRI are very
strong 30,000 times the strength of the
earths magnetic field.
Because the magnet coils are cooled to
liquid helium temperatures, they are
usually kept on all the time
Because the magnetic field is on, all iron
and steel objects must not be allowed to
enter the room.
http://www.mercola.com/2001/aug/15/mri.htm