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Ruby Laser
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Construction
Ruby is a crystal of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) in which some of
the aluminium ions (Al3+) are replaced by chromium ions (Cr3+).
This is done by doping small amounts of chromium oxide.
The pink or red color depending upon the concentration of
chromium ions
Al2O3 does not participate in the laser action. It only acts as the
host.
Ruby rod is taken in the form of a cylindrical rod.
About 4 cm in length and diameter 0.5 cm.
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The schematic diagram of a Ruby laser is shown in figure.

Cooling system
High temperature is produced during Chromium ions act as
active centers in ruby crystal.
Pumping source:
A helical photographic flash lamp filled with xenon is used as a
pumping source.
Whenever activated by the power supply the lamp produces
flashes of white light.
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The ruby crystal is placed inside a xenon flash lamp. Thus,

optical pumping is used to achieve population inversion in ruby
laser.
Optical resonator system:
The ends of ruby crystal are polished, grounded and made flat.
The one of the ends is completely silvered (100% reflection)
while the other one is partially silvered to get the output.
Thus the two polished ends act as optical resonator system
Working
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Ruby is a three level laser system.

The energy levels of Cr3+ ions in the crystal lattice are shown in
figure.
There are three energy levels E1, E2 and (E3 & E4).
E1 is the ground level,
E2 is the metasatble state.
E3 and E4 are the bands. E3 & E4 are considered as only one level
because they are very closed to each other.
Pumping:
The ruby crystal is placed inside a xenon flash lamp.
When the flash lamp is activated, xenon lamp generates an
intense burst of white light .
A part of this energy is absorbed by chromium ions.
The Cr3+ ions are excited to the energy levels E3 and E4, by the
green and blue components of white light.
This process is called stimulated absorption.

This is optical pumping.

The lifetime of an atom in the energy levels E3 and E4 are about
10-9sec, it is very small.
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The excited Cr3+ ions lose some of energy and make non-
radiative transistions.
They quickly drop to the level E2, the metasatble state.
During this transition no energy is given out, the energy
difference is given to the crystal lattice as heat.
The life time of metasatble state is 1000 times more than the
lifetime of E3 level.
Therefore Cr3+ ions accumulated at the metasatble state (E2).
The level E2 becomes more populated and thus population
inversion is achieved by optical pumping.
Once an completes its lifetime in E2 (metasatble state), it jumps
to ground state (G) emitting a photon.
This emission is spontaneous emission.
This photon stimulates another atom and thus two photons are
emitted.
A chance photon emitted spontaneously by a Cr3+ ion initiates a
chain of stimulated emissions by other Cr3+ ions in the
metasatble state.
Red photons are of wavelength 694.3nm traveling along the axis
of the Ruby rod are repeatedly reflected at t5he end mirrors and
light amplification takes place.
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A strong intense beam of red light emerges out of the front-end

mirror.

Spiking (Pulsating) character of Ruby laser

When n the xenon flash produces a flash laser gives a pulsed
output.

When the flash stops, the population in the upper level is

depleted very fast and the lasing action is stopped, till the arrival
of next flash.

The output consists of a series of high intensity pulses of

duration of a microsecond or less.

This phenomenon is called the spiking of the laser.

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APPLICATIONS
1. Ruby laser has very high output power of the order of 104 –
106 watts. It has wavelength of 6943 Angstroms.
2. Ruby lasers are used in industrial cutting and welding.
3. They are used for hair removal and tattoo
4. Holography, NDT, Decoration, Display and toys