Introduction to Lasers

Introduction to Lasers
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FutureLearn
Overview

Explore real-world applications of lasers to understand their technology and gain practical knowledge of how lasers work.

Table of contents

Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

More about this course

From hospitals to bar code scanners, almost all of us interact with lasers in some way.
On this four-week course, you will delve into laser systems to understand how they work.
Exploring real-world examples, you will gain practical knowledge of laser applications in industry, energy technology, medical fields, and daily life.
You will gain a solid introduction to lasers, discovering core concepts such as quantum transitions in atoms, stimulated emission and amplification, and optical beams.
Next, you will understand how the designing of advanced materials can help optimise laser performance.
As you explore the principles of lasers, you will learn how to prepare a system to obtain gain.
To further your knowledge, you will then learn advanced concepts such as how EM waves propagate in space, laser output spectrum, and the Gaussian beam.
You will conclude by looking at the many applications of lasers across various industries.
Through this practical exploration, you will understand how we interact with lasers and how this could develop in future.
Collaborating with experts from both Taipei Medical University and National Taipei University of Technology you will finish the course with a solid understanding of laser technology.