Individual course details
Study programme Physics
Chosen research area (module) General physics
Nature and level of studies  
Name of the course Physics of Lasers and Ionized Gases 
Professor (lectures) Milorad Kuraica
Professor/associate (examples/practical) Bratislav Obradovic
Professor/associate (additional)  
ECTS 5 Status (required/elective) requred
Access requirements All exams from 1. 2. and 3. year of study. 
Aims of the course Through theoretical lectures, demonstration and experimental exercises, students will be able to understand the physical processes which are behind the work of laser, as well as different laser systems. Also students will be introduced to the processes responsible for electrical breakdown in gases and establishing different kinds of gas discharges at broader range of pressures. It will be presented examples of laser applications and various types of discharges in solving technical, technological and environmental problems. This course are the basis for increasing of knowledge and skills necessary for further research in this field.
Learning outcomes Adopting basic concepts related to the physical principles on which lasers.  Understanding and introducing to the basic types of lasers and the way they work. Adoption of basic concepts related to physical processes that lead to breakdown in the gas and to the establishment of discharges at reduced and atmospheric pressure. Introduction to basic applications of lasers and electric gas discharges .
Contents of the course
Lectures 1.EM field in the cavity (density of mods, Plank’s black body radiation law). 2. Stimulated emission, Einstein coefficients, spectral line broadening. 3. Absorption and amplification of radiation. 4. Population inversion and methods of achieving; Progressive wave amplifier. 5. Regenerative amplifier, laser oscillator. 6. Confocal resonator; Solid State Lasers: Ruby Laser, Nd Lasers; Liquid laser with organic dyes. 8. Gas lasers: He-Ne laser, CO2 lasers. 9. Chemical lasers; Semiconductor lasers. 10. Q-switch techniques. 11. Laser protection. 12. Formation and disappearance of charged particles in gases and on electrodes 13. Cross-sections for collisions, frequency of collisions, transport processes 14. Diffusion, ambipolar diffusion. 15. Townsend regions T1 and T2. 16. T3 region and breakdown, breakdown voltage and Pashen curve. 17. Glow discharge, cathode region, normal and abnormally glow discharge. 18. Arc discharge, corona. 19. Barrier Discharges 20. Debye screening theory. Plasma frequency
Examples/ practical classes Demonstration exercises: 1.Longitudinal modes of He-Ne lasers 2.  Longitudinal modes for semiconductor lasers. 3. Ruby and Nd lasers. 4. Carbon dioxide laser. 5. Semiconductor lasers. 6. Breakdown in gas and Pashen’s curve.7. Glow discharge,  characteristic regions, V-A characteristic. 8. Corona and dialectical barrier discharge.
Recommended books
1 Коњевић Н., Увод у квантну електронику - ласери, Научна књига, Београд, 1981.
2 N.V.Karlov - Lectures of Quantum Electronics, Mir Publisher Moscow,  2000
3 Лабат Ј., Физика јонизованих гасова, Београд 1991.
4 Yuri P. Raiser, Gas Discharge Physics, Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, 1991
5  
Number of classes (weekly)
Lectures Examples&practicals   Student project Additional
3 2      
Teaching and learning methods Lectures, demonstrations, seminar work, experimental exercises.
Assessment (maximal 100)
assesed coursework mark examination mark
coursework 5 written examination  
practicals 25 oral examination 50
papers 20    
presentations