Course Details

Exam Registration121
Course StatusOngoing
Course TypeElective
LanguageEnglish
Duration12 weeks
CategoriesPhysics
Credit Points3
LevelPostgraduate
Start Date19 Jan 2026
End Date10 Apr 2026
Enrollment Ends02 Feb 2026
Exam Registration Ends20 Feb 2026
Exam Date18 Apr 2026 IST
NCrF Level4.5 — 8.0

The Science of Light Amplification: An Extensive Laser Course

For postgraduate students and professionals seeking to master the principles and cutting-edge applications of laser technology, a new comprehensive course offers an unparalleled opportunity. Taught by a seasoned expert from one of India's premier research institutions, this 12-week program delves deep into the science of light amplification.

Course Overview & Instructor Profile

This postgraduate-level course, titled The Science of Light Amplification: An Extensive Laser course, is designed to provide a rigorous foundation in laser physics and its vast technological landscape. The curriculum is structured to take students from historical foundations to futuristic applications like fusion energy.

The course is led by Prof. Paramita Deb from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). With over three decades of dedicated work in Laser Physics and technology, Prof. Deb brings immense practical and theoretical knowledge to the classroom, complemented by significant teaching experience. Her expertise ensures that the course content is both academically sound and relevant to real-world technological challenges.

Who Should Enroll?

The course is intended for:

  • Third-year Graduate / First-year Post Graduate students in Physics
  • Fourth-Year Engineering Graduates
  • PhD students seeking specialized knowledge

Prerequisites: A solid understanding of Basics of Optics, Atomic & Molecular Physics, Solid State Physics, and Nuclear Physics is required to fully engage with the advanced material.

Detailed 12-Week Course Layout

The curriculum is meticulously planned to build knowledge progressively over twelve weeks.

WeekTopics Covered
Week 1Historical development of lasers. Nobel prizes in Laser Science. Types of lasers. Overview of electromagnetic radiation and laser-matter interaction.
Week 2Basic principles: Stimulated emission, population inversion, optical resonators. Cavity design, pumping mechanisms. Gain media and energy levels.
Week 3Laser modes, mode-locking, Q-switching, cavity dumping. Laser components and systems.
Week 4Wave properties of light (velocity, polarization). Particle nature of light. Radiative transitions and emission line width.
Week 5Applications: Medicine (ophthalmology, surgery), Telecom, Defense, LIDAR, Manufacturing (cutting, welding), Scientific Research, Entertainment.
Week 6Basics of Non-Linear Optics. Nonlinear susceptibilities. Second harmonic generation, sum/difference frequency generation, parametric amplification.
Week 7Phenomena: self-focusing, self-phase modulation, four-wave mixing, optical solitons. Non-linear materials. Optical parametric oscillators and switches.
Week 8High Peak Power & Ultrashort pulsed lasers. Chirped Pulse Amplification. Trends in Ultrafast lasers and attosecond physics.
Week 9Generation and characterization of short pulses. Measurement techniques: Auto-correlation, Frequency Resolved Optical Gating (FROG).
Week 10Advanced time-domain and frequency-domain measurement techniques for ultrashort pulses.
Week 11Basic Laser Spectroscopy: absorption/emission spectra. Light-matter interaction and experimental techniques.
Week 12Futuristic use of lasers in fusion energy generation. Current efforts and future directions.

Industry Relevance & Support

The knowledge imparted in this course is highly sought after across multiple high-tech industries, including:

  • Medical Instrumentation
  • Heavy & Light Vehicle Manufacturing
  • Aviation
  • Defense and Military Technology

This broad industry support underscores the practical value and career-oriented nature of the curriculum.

Essential Reference Books

Students will benefit from consulting a robust list of authoritative texts, including:

  • "Optics" by A. N. Matveev
  • "Nonlinear Optics – Basic Concepts" by D. L. Mills and "Nonlinear Optics" by Y. R. Shen
  • "Lasers: Fundamentals and Applications" by K. Thyagarajan and Ajoy Ghatak
  • "Principles of Lasers" by Orazio Svelto
  • "Laser Fundamentals" by William T Silfvast
  • "Laser Spectroscopy: Basic Concepts and Instrumentation" by Wolfgang Demtroder

This course represents a unique synthesis of fundamental theory, advanced concepts like non-linear and ultrafast optics, and transformative applications. Guided by an expert from BARC, it is an ideal platform for aspiring scientists and engineers to gain a commanding understanding of laser science and its role in shaping modern technology.

Enroll Now →

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