PHYSICS

ASSIGNMENT

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 ND: YAG LASER DEFINITION
ND: YAG LASER DEFINITION
Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd: YAG) laser is a solid
state laser in which Nd: YAG is used as a laser medium.

These lasers have many different applications in the medical and scientific
field for processes such as Lasik surgery and laser spectroscopy.

ND: YAG laser is a four-level laser system, which means that the four
energy levels are involved in laser action. These lasers operate in both
pulsed and continuous mode.

ND: YAG laser generates laser light commonly in the near-infrared region
of the spectrum at 1064 nanometers (nm). It also emits laser light at
several different wavelengths including 1440 nm, 1320 nm, 1120 nm, and
940 nm.

ND: YAG LASER CONSTRUCTION

ND: YAG laser consists of three important elements: an energy source,

active medium, and optical resonator.

ENERGY SOURCE

The energy source or pump source supplies energy to the active medium
to achieve population inversion. In Nd: YAG laser, light energy sources
such as flashtube or laser diodes are used as energy source to supply
energy to the active medium.

In the past, flashtubes are mostly used as pump source because of its low
cost. However, nowadays, laser diodes are preferred over flashtubes
because of its high efficiency and low cost.

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ACTIVE MEDIUM

The active medium or laser medium of the Nd:YAG laser is made up of a

synthetic crystalline material (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG)) doped
with a chemical element (neodymium (Nd)). The lower energy state
electrons of the neodymium ions are excited to the higher energy state to
provide lasing action in the active medium.

OPTICAL RESONATOR

The Nd:YAG crystal is placed between two mirrors. These two mirrors are
optically coated or silvered.

Each mirror is silvered or coated differently. One mirror is fully silvered

whereas, another mirror is partially silvered. The mirror, which is fully
silvered, will completely reflect the light and is known as fully reflecting
mirror.

On the other hand, the mirror which is partially silvered will reflect most
part of the light but allows a small portion of light through it to produce the
laser beam. This mirror is known as a partially reflecting mirror.

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WORKING OF ND: YAG LASER

Nd: YAG laser is a four-level laser system, which means that the four
energy levels are involved in laser action. The light energy sources such
as flashtubes or laser diodes are used to supply energy to the active
medium.

In Nd:YAG laser, the lower energy state electrons in the neodymium ions
are excited to the higher energy state to achieve population inversion.

Consider a Nd:YAG crystal active medium consisting of four energy levels

E1, E2, E3, and E4 with N number of electrons. The number of electrons in
the energy states E1, E2, E3, and E4 will be N1, N2, N3, and N4.

Let us assume that the energy levels will be E1 < E2 <E3 <E4. The energy
level E1 is known as ground state, E2 is the next higher energy state or
excited state, E3 is the metastable state or excited state and E4 is the
pump state or excited state. Let us assume that initially, the population will
be N1 > N2 > N3 > N4.

When flashtube or laser diode supplies light energy to the active medium
(Nd:YAG crystal), the lower energy state (E1) electrons in the neodymium
ions gains enough energy and moves to the pump state or higher energy
state E4.

The lifetime of pump state or higher energy state E4 is very small (230
microseconds (µs)) so the electrons in the energy state E4 do not stay
for long period. After a short period, the electrons will fall into the next
lower energy state or metastable state E3 by releasing non-radiation
energy (releasing energy without emitting photons).

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The lifetime of metastable state E3 is high as compared to the lifetime of
pump state E4. Therefore, the electrons reach E3 much faster than they
leave E3. This results in an increase in the number of electrons in the
metastable E3 and hence population inversion is achieved.

After some period, the electrons in the metastable state E3 will fall into the
next lower energy state E2 by releasing photons or light. The emission of
photons in this manner is called spontaneous emission.

The lifetime of energy state E2 is very small just like the energy state E4.
Therefore, after a short period, the electrons in the energy state E2 will fall
back to the ground state E1 by releasing radiationless energy.

When photon emitted due to spontaneous emission is interacted with the

other metastable state electron, it stimulates that electron and makes it
fall into the lower energy state by releasing the photon. As a result, two
photons are released. The emission of photons in this manner is called
stimulated emission of radiation.

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When these two photons again interacted with the metastable state
electrons, four photons are released. Likewise, millions of photons are
emitted. Thus, optical gain is achieved.

Spontaneous emission is a natural process but stimulated emission is not

a natural process. To achieve stimulated emission, we need to supply
external photons or light to the active medium.

The Nd:YAG active medium generates photons or light due to

spontaneous emission. The light or photons generated in the active
medium will bounce back and forth between the two mirrors. This
stimulates other electrons to fall into the lower energy state by releasing
photons or light. Likewise, millions of electrons are stimulated to emit
photons.

The light generated within the active medium is reflected many times
between the mirrors before it escapes through the partially reflecting
mirror.

ADVANTAGES OF ND:YAG LASER

• Low power consumption

• Nd:YAG laser offers high gain.
• Nd:YAG laser has good thermal properties.
• Nd:YAG laser has good mechanical properties.
• The efficiency of Nd:YAG laser is very high as compared to the ruby
laser.

DISADVANTAGE OF ND: YAG LASER

The electron energy level structure of ND 3+ is
complicated.

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APPLICATIONS OF ND:YAG LASER

MILITARY

Nd:YAG lasers are used in laser designators and laser rangefinders. A

laser designator is a laser light source, which is used to target objects for
attacking. A laser rangefinder is a rangefinder, which uses a laser light to
determine the distance to an object.

MEDICINE

Nd: YAG lasers are used to correct posterior capsular opacification (a

condition that may occur after a cataract surgery).

Nd:YAG lasers are used to remove skin cancers.

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MANUFACTURING

Nd:YAG lasers are used for etching or marking a variety of plastics and
metals.

Nd:YAG lasers are used for cutting and welldeing steel

Fiber laser welding machine TITAN Nd:YAG Laser Welding Systems

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CARBON DIOXIDE LASER

DEFINITION
In carbon dioxide laser, Co2 gas molecules are used as the active medium
and population inversion is achieved by the electrical pumping method.

PRINCIPLE
The active medium is a gas mixture of CO2, N2 and He. The laser transition
takes place between the vibrational states of CO2 molecules.

ENERGY STATES OF Co2 MOLECULES

Carbon dioxide (Co2) is a symmetric molecule (O=C=O) and it has three
modes of vibration:
• Symmetric stretching.
• Bending.
• Antisymmetric stretching is shown in the figure.

Symmetric stretching mode

In this mode of vibration, carbon atoms are at rest and both oxygen atoms
vibrate simultaneously along the axis of the molecule departing or
approaching the fixed carbon atoms.

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Bending mode
In this mode of vibration, oxygen atoms and carbon atoms vibrate
perpendicular to molecular axis.

Asymmetric stretching mode

In this mode of vibration, oxygen atoms and carbon atoms vibrate
asymmetrically, i.e., oxygen atoms move in one direction while carbon
atoms in the other direction.

COMPONENTS OF Co2 LASER

Active medium ( or Carbon dioxide laser gain medium )
The main component of a Carbon dioxide laser is a medium in the form of
CO2 gas molecules called an active medium. The main characteristics of the
active medium are as follows:

• It must have a pair of energy levels separated by a certain

amount of energy. The energy level having energy is known as
an upper energy level or higher excited energy level and the
energy level having low energy is known as low energy or
ground state.
• It must allow a population inversion between two energy
levels.

PUMPING DEVICE
It is an external source of energy that provides the necessary energy to the
active medium to produce a state of population inversion essential
for lasing action.
A resonant cavity
Population inversion is achieved to amplify the signal by ( or Photon )
stimulated emission. However, in practice, most of the atoms in the excited
state emit spontaneously and do not contribute to the overall output. Only
a few atoms in the excited state emit via stimulated emission and the hand’s
overall gain of the output is small.

Therefore, we require a positive feedback mechanism to make most of the

atom in the excited state to emit via stimulated emission for contributing to
the current output. A device used to you have a positive feedback

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mechanism for Maximum coherent output is known as resonator or
resonant cavity.

Thus, a resonant cavity or resonator is a feedback device that makes the

photon to move back and forth through the active medium. In this process,
the number of photons emitted due to stimulated emission are multiplied.
A resonant cavity consists of a pair of plane or spherical mirrors placed
parallel to each other at the end of the active medium. One of the mirrors
is a fully reflecting mirror and the other is a partially transmitting mirror.
The laser output is taken out through the partially transmitting mirror which
is also called the output coupler mirror.
Population inversion in Carbon Dioxide laser
Population inversion in Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is achieved by electric
discharge pumping. In this case, voltage is applied across the electrodes of
the gas discharge tube which is filled with a low-pressure gas mixture
known as the gain medium.

The applied voltage produces an electric field within the tube. This electric
field accelerates electrons within the gas. These electron collides with the
gas atom or gain medium and excite their atom to higher energy levels or
excited energy levels.

If the atom in the lower-lying energy level makes the transition to the
excited state faster than the atom in the higher-lying energy level makes
the transition to the lower-lying energy levels, then the population of atom
in the higher energy level is more than the population of atom in lower
energy levels. Hence, population inversion in gases is achieved.

CARBON DIOXIDE LASER CONSTRUCTION

AND WORKING
CONSTRUCTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE LASER
it consists of a tube 5m long and 2 cm in diameter. The discharge is
produced by d.c excitation. The resonant cavity is formed of confocal silicon
mirrors coated with aluminum. Pressured He is about 7 Torr, P (N2)~ 1.2
Torr, and P (CO2)~0.33 torr. The gain of E(0,0,1) – E (1,0,0) transition is
higher, so laser oscillator at 10.6 µm.

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To obtain an oscillation of 9.0 µm, some selective device such as a
diffraction grating is placed in the cavity. The maximum power of this laser
is about 50 – 60 w/m. CO2 lasers are widely used in the industries.
Working of Carbon Dioxide Laser
To have a CO2 laser, a mixture of Co2 and N2 in the ratio of about 0.8:1 is
filled in a gas discharge tube. Also, helium is part of the mixture. Helium is
more than N2 in the mixture. Co2 molecule act as an active or laser medium
and N2 molecule help in achieving the population inversion in the same way
as helium is used in He-Ne laser.
When an electric discharge is passed through the tube, the number of
electrons is emitted, which pumps nitrogen molecules to V = 1 state.

In CO2 laser, the energy difference between the vibrational energy levels of
Nitrogen and carbon dioxide is very small ( i.e. about 0.3 eV ) and hence
there are a large number of electrons in the gas discharge tube having the
energy of more than 0.3 eV. The energy levels of CO2 molecules are
shown in the figure.

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 The vibrational state for N2 is a metastable state. Therefore, it provides a
longer time for the collision between the excited N2 molecules and atom
molecule of Co2 in the ground state.

As a result of this, the Co2 molecules are excited to the energy state E (0,0,1).
Hence, population inversion is achieved as the number of CO2 molecules
in the energy state E (0,0,1) are much more than the Co2 molecules in other
vibrational states like E (1,0,0), E (0,0,2), and E (0,1,0).

CHARACTERISTIC OF CARBON DIOXIDE

LASER

TITLE Description

Type It is a molecular gas laser.

A mixture of CO2 , N2, and helium or water vapor is used as an active

Active Medium
medium.

Optical resonator Two concave mirrors form a resonant cavity.

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Pumping Method The electrical discharge method is used for Pumping action.

Power output The power output from this laser is about 10kW.

Nature of output The nature of output may be continuous wave or pulsed wave.

Wavelength of
The wavelength of output is 0.6μm and 10.6μm.
output

Transition through stimulated emission process from energy level E (0,0,1)

to the energy level E (1,0,0)and E (0,2,0) give rise to infrared Photons of
wavelength10 µm and 9.6 µm respectively.

The function of adding Helium in the mixture of Co2 and N2 is many

folds.
• It influences the lifetime of the energy label and does not spoil
the population inversion.
• Helium has high thermal conductivity and so helps to conduct
heat away to the walls of the tube keeping CO2 cold. In other
words, helium helps to depopulate the lower level.

ADVANTAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE LASER

• The construction of CO2 laser is simple.
• The output of this laser is continuous.
• It has high efficiency.
• It has very high output power.
• The output power can be increased by extending the length of
the gas tube.

DISADVANTAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE LASER

• The contamination of oxygen by carbon monoxide will have
some effect on laser action.
• The operating temperature plays an important role in
determining the output power of laser.
• The corrosion may occur at the reflecting plates.

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 • Accidental exposure may damage our eyes since it is invisible
(infrared region) to our eyes.

Application of Co2 laser

• Due to the high power of CO2 laser, it has frequently used in
industrial areas such as for cutting and welding.
• it is used for soft tissue surgery.
• it is used in fabricating.
• used in skincare problems to treat different non-cancerous
(benign) and cancerous (malignant).
• It is used to perform microsurgery and bloodless operations.

laser surgery
LASER CUTTING

co2 laser welding

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WRITTEN BY

B. TECH IT

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