Gas Lasers
A gas laser is a type of laser that is powered by certain types of gases that are ‘excited’ either by electrical discharge or by high frequency oscillation to produce their ultimate source of laser light.
The gases that are used in gas laser technology can produce a variety of results and different types of laser light. They can also be deployed in various ways and for different purposes. Common gases used here and their effects include:
- Cadmium which produces a blue light
- Carbon Dioxide which produces infrared light
- Krypton which produces a blue, red or green light
- Nitrogen which produces ultraviolet light
- Xenon which produces ultraviolet light
Gas lasers have the advantage of being the only lasers that can produce stable ultraviolet and blue laser light. In some cases a gas laser will produce a static beam whilst in others it is more useful if the laser actually produces a pulsed beam. These kinds of lasers are usually known as Excimer lasers.
Gas lasers have many uses. They are, for example, often used to produce micro-chip based lithographic machines and have a variety of other industrial and commercial uses such as cutting. And, lasers based on Carbon Dioxide systems are also widely used in welding projects. These kinds of gas lasers are often also found in many educational, optical and general medical settings.