Lasers: Pumping & Meaning of "Pumping a Transition

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The term "pumping a transition" in lasers refers to the process of achieving population inversion, where a significant number of electrons are excited to an unstable orbital. This population inversion is crucial for laser operation, as it allows for stimulated emission when these electrons return to a stable state. When a photon stimulates the inverted population, it triggers a cascade effect, resulting in the emission of coherent light, or a laser beam. Understanding this process is essential for grasping how lasers function. The concept of pumping is fundamental to laser technology and its applications.
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What is the meaning of the term "pumping a transition" in relation to lasers?
 
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The basic principle of a laser is that a significant number of electrons can be "pumped" to an unstable orbital. This is referred to as a populaltion inversion. To "pump a trasisiton" is to cause this population inversion to occur. When stimulated by a photon all of the inverted population cascades to a more stable orbital, thus a laser beam.
 
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