PE-1500 Ruby Excited Lifetime & Spectroscopy

Topics:
  • Ruby Crystal
  • Absorption Spectrum
  • Emission Spectrum
  • Lifetime of excited state
  • Einstein Coefficient
  • Blue Laser
  • Spectrometer
  • Spontaneous Emission
  • Optical Pumping

PE-1500 Ruby Excited Lifetime & Spectroscopy
PE-1500 Ruby Excited Lifetime & Spectroscopy

The invention of the Ruby Laser by Theodore Maiman in 1960 initiated the era of photonics technologies. This exciting experiment steps into the footmarks tracks of famous scientists and provides a comprehensive inside of fundamental quantum optics. Although the Ruby Laser did not find great application it is still the first Laser system which is introduced to students as first invented Laser. By means of a couple of simple components great physics can be demonstrated. Due to the broad absorption bands of the Ruby crystal peaking around 405 nm as well as 560 nm either blue or green emitting LED or laser diodes can be used as excitation source. However, here a blue LED is used which emits less than 5 mW at a wavelength of 460 nm.

Optical pumping of the ruby crystalA. Optical pumping of the ruby crystal
The light of the LED or blue laser diode is focused by the Lens L1 into the synthetic Ruby crystal ball. The created fluorescence is focused by the lens L2 and imaged to the photodiode PD. The filter FI blocks the not absorbed pump radiation. The modulator switches the pump light source on and off. A reference signal of the modulator is connected to the channel 2 of an oscilloscope. The amplified fluorescence signal is connected to the channel 1 of the oscilloscope. The trigger is set to the modulation signal channel. The decay time of the fluorescence signal is in the range of milliseconds so that a simple oscilloscope can be used to measure the lifetime of the excited state. Instead of the photodiode the fiber of the provided spectrometer is used, allowing the recording of the fluorescence spectrum.
Energy level diagram for “blue” pumping of the Ruby crystal
B. Energy level diagram for "blue" pumping of the Ruby crystal
PE-1500 Ruby Excited Lifetime & Spectroscopy, consisting of:
Item Code Qty. Description
1 CA-0450 1 BNC connection cable 1 m
2 DC-0040 1 Diode laser controller MK1
3 DC-0120 1 Si-PIN Photodetector, BPX61
4 DC-0380 1 Photodetector Junction Box ZB1
5 MM-0020 2 Mounting plate C25 on carrier MG20
6 MM-0060 1 Filter plate holder on MG20
7 MM-0090 1 XY adjuster on MG20
8 MM-0100 1 Target Cross in C25 Mount
9 MP-0150 1 Optical Bench MG-65, 500 mm
10 OC-0160 1 Collimator 445 nm in C25 mount
11 OC-0530 1 Ruby crystal in C25 mount
12 OC-0970 1 Filter GG495, 50 x 50 x 3 mm
13 OM-L445 1 Diode laser module 445 nm, 1 W
14 UM-PE15 1 Manual Ruby Spectroscopy
Required Option (order separately)
15 CA-0200 1 Oscilloscope 100 MHz digital, two channel
16 CA-0270 1 Fiber coupled spectrometer 200 - 1200 nm, USB
17 OC-0430 1 Fiber jacket in C25 mount
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