ND YAG Laser

Nd:YAG Laser
Nd:YAG laser is the short form of Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet laser. It is a
neodymium based four level solid state laser.
Neodymium lasers are the most popular type of solid-state laser. The host medium is often a
crystal of Y3Al5O12 (commonly called YAG, an acronym for Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) in which some
of the Y3+ ions are replaced by Nd3+ ions. Besides this oxide medium, other host media include some
fluoride (e.g. YLiF4 ) or vanadate (e.g. YVO4 ) materials as well as some phosphate or silicate glasses.
Typical doping levels in e.g. Nd:YAG are 1 atomic%.
Components:
There are four major
components in a Nd:YAG
laser.
(i) Laser Rod

(ii) Flash Tube
(iii) Elliptical Cavity
(a) (b) (c)
(iv) Reflecting Mirrors
Fig: (a) Nd:YAG laser rod (b) Xenon flash lamp (c) Mirrors for Nd:YAG laser.
Characteristic Features:
1. Type: It is a four level solid state laser.
2. Active medium: The active medium is Nd: YAG.
3. Pumping method: Optical pumping is employed for pumping action.
4. Pumping source: Xenon or Krypton flash tube is used as pumping source.
5. Optical resonator: Two ends of Nd:YAG rod is polished with silver (one end is fully silvered and the
other is partially silvered) are used as optical resonator.
6. Power output: The power output is approximately 70 watt.
7. Nature of output: The nature of output is pulsed or continuous beam of light.
8. Wavelength of the output: The wavelength of the output beam is 1.06μm (infra-red).
Construction:
The construction of Nd: YAG laser is shown in the
figure-1. A small amount of Yttrium ions (Y3+) is
replaced by Neodymium (Nd3+) in the active element
of Nd: YAG crystal.
Fig 1: Schematic Diagram of Nd:YAG Laser.
This active element is cut into a cylindrical rod.
The ends of the cylindrical rod are highly polished
and they are made optically flat and parallel. This
cylindrical rod (laser rod) and a pumping source
(flash tube) are placed inside a highly (reflecting) Fig-1: Diagram of Nd:YAG laser.
elliptical reflector cavity. The reason behind this is
the light from the flash tube then reflected from the elliptical surface and fall on the laser rod.
The optical resonator is formed by using two external reflecting mirrors. One mirror (M 1) is 100%
reflecting while the other mirror (M2) is partially reflecting.
Principle:
The active medium Nd: YAG rod is optically pumped by Krypton flash tubes. The Neodymium ions (Nd 3+)
are raised to excited levels and then they fall from the excited state to the metastable state. During the
transition from metastable state to ground state, a laser beam of wavelength 1.064μm is emitted.
Working Principle:
1. When the krypton flash lamp is switched on, by the absorption of light radiation of wavelength 0.73μm
and 0.8μm, the Neodymium (Nd3+) atoms are raised from ground level E0 to upper levels E3and E4.
2. The Neodymium ions atoms make a transition from these energy levels to E2 by non-radiative
transition. E2 is a metastable state.
3. The Neodymium ions are
collected in the level E2 and the
population inversion is achieved
between E2 and E1.
4. An ion makes a spontaneous
transition from E2 to E1, emitting
a photon of energy hγ. This emitted
photon will trigger a chain of
stimulated photons between E2 and
E1.
5. The photons thus generated
travel back and forth between two
mirrors and grow in strength. After
some time, the photon number multiplies more rapidly.
6. After enough strength is attained (condition for laser being satisfied), an intense laser light of
wavelength 1.06μm is emitted through the partial reflector. It corresponds to the transition from E 2 to E1.
Advantages:
(i) It has high energy output.
(ii) It has high gain and low loss.
(iii) Easy to achieve population inversion.
(iv) ND:YAG lasers can be used for a variety of applications, including tattoo removal, hair removal,
and treating pigmented lesions. They are also effective in surgical procedures and for vascular
treatments.
(v) It can be used as pulsed or continuous laser.
Disadvantage:
(i) The electron energy level structure of Nd3+ in YAG is complicated.

(ii) It is very costly.
(iii) Low beam quality at very high power.
Application:
Nd:YAG lasers have wide range of applications across various fields. Some of them are discussed here
briefly.
(i) Medical Applications: It used in Ophthalmology to correct posterior capsular
opacification (a condition that may occur after cataract surgery). It also uses to treat
vascular lesions, such as spider veins and birthmarks.
(ii) Industrial Applications: It is used for cutting and welding metals, plastics, ceramics, and
other materials. They are also used in manufacturing, aerospace, and defense industries
for precision drilling and marking.
(iii) Aesthetic Applications: Nd:YAG lasers are popular for hair removal, tattoo removal and
skin rejuvenation. They are particularly effective for darker skin tones and thicker hair.
(iv) Scientific Research: Nd:YAG lasers are used in Spectroscopy, Laser Induced Breakdown
Spectroscopy(LIBS), Laser Ablation. They are also used in gravitational wave
interferometers such as LIGO and VIRGO.
These are just few examples of the many applications of Nd:YAG lasers. Their versatility, deep penetration,
and minimal damage to surrounding tissue make them a valuable tool in various fields.
Price:
Nd:Yag Lasers product price in India ranges from 10,000 to 27,00,000 INR and minimum order
requirements from 1 to 10. [https://www.tradeindia.com/manufacturers/nd-yag-lasers.html]
Prepared By – Subhasish Chanda, Research Scholar, Roll No.- 24PH1101.

ND YAG Laser

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Nd:YAG Laser

(i) Laser Rod

(i) The electron energy level structure of Nd3+ in YAG is complicated.

Prepared By – Subhasish Chanda, Research Scholar, Roll No.- 24PH1101.

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