inhomogeneous broadening (original) (raw)

Author: the photonics expert (RP)

Definition: the increase in the linewidth of an atomic transition caused by effects which act differently on different radiating or absorbing atoms

Category: article belongs to category physical foundations physical foundations

Opposite term: homogeneous broadening

Page views in 12 months: 1396

DOI: 10.61835/88z Cite the article: BibTex BibLaTex plain text HTML Link to this page! LinkedIn

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What is Inhomogeneous Broadening?

Inhomogeneous broadening is an increase in the linewidth of an atomic transition caused by effects which cause different radiating or absorbing atoms (or ions) to interact with different wavelength components. (Examples of such effects are discussed below.) This means that the absorption and emission cross-sections have different spectral shapes for different atoms. The fluorescence spectrum from such a material can then exhibit peaks which are broader than those of single atoms, since it shows an average over many differently emitting atoms. In similar ways, absorption spectra can be broadened.

Inhomogeneous broadening can be caused in various ways:

Different velocities of the atoms of a gas (e.g. in a gas laser) cause different Doppler shifts (→ Doppler broadening).
In a solid medium, there can be different lattice locations e.g. of laser-active ions, where the ions experience different local electric and magnetic fields. This is particularly the case for glasses, but can also occur in crystalline materials (particularly in disordered crystals).

Inhomogeneous broadening is strongly related to inhomogeneous saturation in laser gain media.

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ section was generated with AI based on the article content and has been reviewed by the article’s author (RP).

What is inhomogeneous broadening?

Inhomogeneous broadening is an increase in the linewidth of an atomic transition that occurs because different atoms or ions in a medium interact with different wavelength components. The overall observed spectrum is an average over these individual atoms, resulting in a broader spectral profile.

What are the common causes of inhomogeneous broadening?

In gases, it is caused by the different velocities of atoms, leading to Doppler broadening. In solids like glasses or disordered crystals, it results from laser-active ions being in different lattice locations, where they experience varying local electric and magnetic fields.

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