Central university of

Kashmir

Topic :- He-Ne and Ruby laser

Subject :- physics (BT 202)
Presented by :- Aqib bashir(1924cukmr38)
Ruby laser
 A ruby laser is a solid-state laser
 that uses a synthetic ruby crystal
as its gain medium. The first
working laser was a ruby laser
made by Theodore H. "Ted" Maiman
 at Hughes Research Laboratories
 on May 16, 1960.
 Ruby lasers produce pulses of
coherent visible light at a 
wavelength of 694.3 nm
(nanometer), which is a deep red
color. Typical ruby laser pulse
lengths are on the order of a 
millisecond.
Construction of Ruby crystal
 The ruby laser consists of a ruby
rod . which is made of
chromium dropped ruby
material . At the opposite ends
there are two silver polished
mirrors. Whose one is fully
polished and other are partially
polished . A spring is attached
to the rod with fully polished
end for adjustment of
wavelength of the laser light .
Around the ruby rod a flash
light is kept behind for the
pump input .
Construction of ruby crystal
 The whole assembly is kept in the glass tube.
Around the neck of the glass tube the R.F
source and switch control is designed in order
to switch on and off the flash light for desired
intervals.
Operation of Ruby laser(working)
 When we switch on the circuit the R.F operates. As a result
the flash light is obtained around the ruby rod . This flash
causes the electrons within ruby rod to move from lower
energy band towards higher energy band. The population
inversion takes place at higher at high energy band and
electrons start back to travel towards the lower energy band .
During this movement the electron emits the laser light . This
emitted light travels b/w the two mirrors where cross
reflection takes place at this light . The stimulated laser light
escapes from partially polished mirror in shape of laser beam.
 The spring attached with the polished mirror is used to adjust
the wave length equal to λ/2 of laser light for optimum laser
beam. The switching control of the R.F source is used to
switch on and off the flash light so that excessive heat
should not be generated due to very high frequency of the
movement of the electron.
Advantages of ruby lasers
 From cost point of view, the ruby lasers are
economical.
 Beam diameter of the ruby laser is

comparatively less than CO2 gas lasers.

 Output power of Ruby laser is not as less as in

He-Ne gas lasers.

 Since the ruby is in solid form therefore there is

no chance of wasting material of active medium.

 Construction and function of ruby laser is self

explanatory.
Disdvantages of ruby laser
 In ruby lasers no significant stimulated
emission occurs, until at least half of the
ground state electrons have been excited to
the Meta stable state.
 Efficiency of ruby laser is comparatively low.
 Optical cavity of ruby laser is short as

compared to other lasers, which may be

considered a disadvantage
Applications of ruby laser
 Used in retina surgery and in dermatology. It has
the ability to concentrate the energy of optical
radiation into a small area and the possibility of
cutting and vaporizing tissue.
It is used in performing a non contact sharp contour
tissue incision and removal of even tiny structures
without any damage to the surrounding tissues and
any possible infection to the cut.
In medical diagnostics.
Used in cataract surgery , retina detachment surgery
and glaucoma removal surgery.
He-Ne laser (Helium-Neon laser)
 Helium-Neon laser is a type of gas laser in which
a mixture of helium and neon gas is used as a
gain medium.  Helium-Neon laser is also known
as He-Ne laser. The helium-neon laser was the
first continuous wave (CW) laser ever constructed.
It was built in 1961 by Ali Javan, Bennett, and
Herriott at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
 He-Ne laser is a four-level laser.

 Its usual operation wavelength is 632.8 nm, in

the red portion of the visible spectrum.

 It operates in Continuous Working (CW) mode.
Construction of He-Ne laser

A tube where a lasting action takes place consists of a glass envelop

and a narrow capillary tube through the centre. The capillary tube is
designed to direct the electric discharge through its small bore to
produce very high current densities in the gas.
The output coupler and the HR (high reflective) mirror are located at
the opposite end of the plasma tube . To make laser tubes more
economical and durable manufacturer often attach the mirrors directly
to the ends of the capillary tube as shown above . This very common
with small low power lasers . With high power tubes or when optically
polarized output is desired , the capillary tubes ends are cut at an
angle and sealed with glass planes called Brewster windows .
Construction of He-Ne
 When this is done then the mirrors must be mounted in mechanically
stable but adjustable mounts. This allows the operator to align the
mirror surfaces parallel to each other but perpendicular to the axis
of the capillary tube.
 The plasma tube has a large cylindrical metallic cathode and a
smaller metallic anode . The current is directed from cathode to
anode.
 In figure shown, the gas reservoir provides a supply of extra gas .
This reservoir helps to maintain a uniform pressure over long period
of time and provides extra gas to replace any gas that may escape
through the tube or through the seals where the loads pass through
the glass envelop . Usually all He-Ne plasma tube gas reservoir.
 Note that ! In He-Ne lasers medium is low pressure gas mixture of
helium and neon gases , which is contained in the plasma tube . The
ratio of He to Ne within the tube varies from 5:1 to 20:1 . Usually
this ration average 8:1 can be considered.
Working
 The setup consists of a discharge tube of length 80 cm and bore
diameter of 1.5cm.
 The gain medium of the laser, as suggested by its name, is a
mixture of helium and neon gases, in a 5:1 to 20:1 ratio,
contained at low pressure (an average 50 Pa per cm of cavity
length ) in a glass envelope.
 The energy or pump source of the laser is provided by an
electrical discharge of around 1000 volts through an anode and
cathode at each end of the glass tube. A current of 5 to 100 mA
is typical for CW operation.
 The optical cavity of the laser typically consists of a plane, high
reflecting mirror at one end of the laser tube, and a concave
output coupler mirror of approximately 1% transmission at the
other end.
Working
He Ne lasers are normally small, with cavity lengths of
around 15 cm up to 0.5 m, and optical output powers
ranging from 1 mW to 100 mW.
Advantages of He-Ne laser
 He-Ne laser has very good coherence property
 He-Ne laser tube has very small length

approximately from 10 to 100cm and best life

time of 20.000 hours.
 Cost of He-Ne laser is less from most of other

lasers.
 Construction of He-Ne laser is also not very

complex.
 He-Ne laser provide inherent safety due to low

power output.
Disadvantages
It is relatively low power device means its output
power is low.
He-Ne laser is low gain system/ device.
To obtain single wavelength laser light, the other
two wavelengths of laser need suppression, which
is done by many techniques and devices. So it
requires extra technical skill and increases the cost
also.
High voltage requirement
Escaping of gas from laser plasma tube
Applications of He-Ne laser
The Narrow red beam of He-Ne laser is used in
supermarkets to read bar codes.
The He- Ne Laser is used in Holography in
producing the 3D images of objects.
He-Ne lasers have many industrial and scientific
uses, and are often used in laboratory
demonstrations of optics.
The difference between Helium-Neon Laser and Ruby
laser are given below:

 Helium-Neon Laser Ruby Laser

i. These are gaseous State i. They are solid-state laser.
laser. ii. It requires optical pumping .
ii. It requires electrical iii. It is in the form of pulse in the ruby
pumping. laser.
iii. The laser output is iv. It has low efficiency.
continuous in it. v. The defects due to crystalline
iv. It has high efficiency. imperfections are present in it.
v. There are no any defects
due to crystalline
imperfections.
Thank you