GAS & DYE LASERS

Dr. BC Choudhary
Professor
NITTTR,
 Gas Lasers
Most widely used lasers and most varied.
 Low power ( He-Ne) to High power (CO2) lasers
 Operates with rarified gases as active medium excited
by electric discharge.
 Neutral atom lasers
• Helium- Neon Laser

 Ion Lasers
• Argon Laser
• Krypton Ion Laser
• Helium-Cadmium Laser
• Copper-Vapour Laser
• Gold-Vapour Laser
 Molecular Lasers
• Carbon Dioxide Laser

 Excimer Lasers
• Excited rare gas dimmers; Ar2*, Kr2*, Xe2*, . . .
• Rare gas Oxides; ArO*, KrO*, XeO*, . . .
• Rare gas atom in combination with halide
atom; ArF*, KrF*, XeCl*. . .

 Chemical Lasers
• HF Laser
 Schematic of Gas Lasers
 In gases, energy levels of atoms involved in lasing action are well defined
and narrow; broad pump bands do not exist
 To excite gaseous atoms; pump sources with sharp wavelengths are required
 Optical pumping not suitable for gas lasers.
 Finding an appropriate optical source for pumping – A problem ?

 Most common method; Passing electric discharge through the gas medium.

• Gas contained in a tube

with cavity mirrors.
• A high DC voltage ionizes
the gas for conduction.
• Electrons in the discharge
transfer energy to atoms in
the gas by collisions. Schematic arrangement of a gas laser
 For optimum operation, in practice, laser medium contains a mixture
of
two gases (A&B) at low pressure
 Atoms of kind A are initially excited by electron impact
Transfer their energy to atoms of kind B, which are actual active centres.

 Cavity mirrors can be either inside the gas container or outside
 If inside, the output light is generally unpolarized
 For outside case, mirrors placed at Brewster angle  Polarized light

 Gas lasers; vary widely in characteristics;

• Output wavelength from UV to Far IR region
• Operates in pulsed mode and some in CW
modes
• Ouptut power, less than a mW to over 10 kW
 First gas laser: He-Ne in 1961 at Bell Telephone Labs, USA
 He-Ne Laser
 First gas laser ever developed ; Still one of the most widely used lasers.
 He-Ne: An atomic laser employs Four-level pumping scheme.
• Active Medium; a mixture of 10 parts of He to 1 parts of Ne
• Ne-atoms; active centres- have energy levels suitable for laser
transitions
• He-atoms help efficient excitation of Ne-atoms

Schematic of a He-Ne laser with external mirrors

• Discharge tube of about 30cm long, 1.5 cm in diameter, filled with a mixture
of He & Ne gases in 10:1 ratio.
• Electrodes connected to HV (10kV) to produce discharge in gas.
  HV of 10kV applied across the gas- ionizes the gas
 Electrons & ions accelerated towards anode and cathode
 Electrons being smaller in mass acquire higher velocity

• Electrons transfer K.E. to He

atoms through inelastic collisions.
• He atoms excited to levels F2 & F3
– metastable levels
• Transfer energy to Ne-atom
through collisions
 Resonant transfer of energy
• Possible in He-Ne atoms
Energy levels of He and Ne atoms and transitions between
the levels.

 Ne-atoms being heavy, could not be pumped up efficiently without He-atoms.

 Role of He-atoms is to excite Ne-atoms and cause P.I.
• Probability to transfer energy from He-Ne is more ; 10 He per 1 Ne atoms.
• Reverse probability i.e. Ne-He is extremely small

 E4 & E6 levels in Ne ; Metastable States  Accumulation of atoms

 Population inversion between
• E6 and E5, E3 levels
• E4 and E3 levels
 Lasing takes place and light is produced corresponding to
• E6 E5
and E4  3
• E6 E3 E
 E6 E3 transitions; laser beam of red colour at 632.8 nm (6328 Ao)
 E4 E3 transitions; laser beam at wavelength of 1150 nm (11500Ao )
 E6 E5 transitions; laser beam in IR region at 3390 nm (33900Ao)
 In reality, several laser transitions 150 possible, however, only three are
dominant transitions.
 Ne-atoms in level E3 decays rapidly to E2 (a metastable state) 
Accumulation may take place unless removed by some means
 E2 E1 transition induced by collisions with walls of discharge tube.
 Discharge tube made as narrow as possible to enhance probability
of atomic collisions with walls.
 E2 level is more likely to be populated by the electric discharge itself
An increase in population at E2 causes decrease in P.I.  Lasing ceases.
 Current in discharge tube maintained at low level
 Reason for not getting high power He-Ne lasers
 Major applications as Red light at 632.8 nm
• Resonator mirrors coated with multi-layer dielectric coatings.
 He-Ne laser: Simple, less expansive, practical, high quality
beam
Applications: Laboratories, Interferometry, Laser Printing, Bar Code Reader,
Scanners, Surface Testing, Surveying, Alignment etc.
 Ion Gas Lasers
 He, Ne, Ar, Xe and Kr  Rare/noble gases have electronic
state capable of laser transitions.
 Except for Ne, noble gases difficult to pump and hence not of
practical interest
 However, if first ionized by electron collisions  Easy to
pump
 Argon laser
 Krypton lasers
 He-Cd laser
 Copper vapour laser
 Gold vapour laser
 Argon Gas Laser
 Four level laser; Operates in Visible region over wavelength, 350 - 520
nm
 Most powerful CW laser operating in visible region (powers 100W)
 Extensively used in laser light shows
 Provides approx 25 Visible and 10 UV wavelengths
• Active medium; Ar gas
• Active centres; ionized Ar-atoms
• A narrow water cooled
ceramic tube for arc discharge
Schematic of a typical ion laser tube

 Anode and cathode space communicate through a return path which ensures
free
circulation of gas.
 A magnet surrounds the discharge tube to restrict the discharge area and
increase the concentration of ions along the axis of tube.
 Initial HV ionizes the gas to conduct current
 Electrons transfer energy to Ar-atoms, ionize them and raises the ions to
a
•group of high energy levels.
Different process populate
the metastable state (4p
level)
• Three possible are:
 Electron collision with Ar+ ions in
ground state
 Collision with ions in metastable
state
 Radiative transitions from
higher states.
• Conditions for P.I. satisfied between
4p and 4s levels.
Energy level scheme for an Argon atom

 Transitions can occur between many pairs of upper and lower lasing levels
 Many laser wavelengths emitted
 Most important and more common are: 488 nm (Blue) and 515 nm (Green)
 Ar+ ions quickly drop from lower laser level to ground state of the ion by emitting
UV-light at 740Ao.
 Available for further action as UV light
 Any desired wavelength can be selected through the cavity optics (using small
prisms or gratings)

• During operation, positive ions collected at cathode; neutralized and

slowly diffuse back into discharge  leads to pressure gradient
• A return path is provided between anode and cathode to equalize the
pressure
 Laser needs active cooling

 Argon lasers used extensively in Eye Surgery; For treatment of

Diabetic retinopathy, Retinal detachment, Glaucoma and
Macular degeneration
 Krypton Ion Laser
 Resembles the Ar-ion laser in energy levels and operation
• Provides different laser wavelengths
• Dominant Outputs: 4067Ao, 4131Ao, 5309Ao, 5682Ao, 6471Ao, 6764Ao
 A broader spectrum of wavelengths
 Used in multi-colour displays
 Combination of Ar laser & Kr laser demonstrate beautiful multi coloured
laser shows.
 Helium-Cadmium Laser (Metal-Vapour Laser)
 He-Cd : Most widely used metal-vapour laser

 Produces continuous output

• UV region at 325nm & 354nm
• Visible region 442 nm (Blue)
 Operation similar to He-Ne laser within discharge tube of 1-2 mm bore.
• Cd metal heated to 250oC and vaporized at anode to produce Cd-
vapour needed for laser action.
• Need discharge voltages 1500V and currents  60-100 mA.
• Lifetimes 4000 to 5000 hrs.
• He atoms transfer energy to Cd-ions through Resonant collision
transfer.

Major Applns; Photolithography, Inspection of PCBs, CD-ROM master,

Fluorescence analysis etc.
 Copper-Vapour Laser
 Metal vapour laser : Operates only in Pulsed mode
• Pulsed energy  1mJ and Average powers of 10-100 W
• Output wavelengths: 5105 Ao (Green), 5782 Ao (Yellow)
• Metal vapours contained in cylindrical discharge tube filled with He or
Ne gas as a buffer gas
• Optimum pressure  1Torr of metal vapour for laser action- requires Cu
to be heated upto 1500oC.
• Typical lifetime  500-1000 hrs – Reloading of Cu required

 With electric discharge Cu-vapours excited to upper laser

level  Onset of Stimulated Emission
 Lower laser level - metastable level
• Accumulation takes place, laser action ceases (100
ns)
• Depopulation by collision with walls of tube

 Copper laser: High gain – operate without resonant

Applications:
• Pump for dye lasers
• Flash photography
• Material Processing
 Gold-Vapour Laser
 Operation similar to that of Copper vapour laser
 Orange beam at wavelength of 6278 Ao

 Uses: Photodynamic therapy for destroying cancerous tissues.

 Carbon Dioxide Laser
 CO2 laser: One of the most powerful & efficient lasers

 A four level molecular laser

• Operates on a set of vibrational-rotational transitions.
• Output in mid IR-region at 10.6 m and 9.4 m
• Both CW and pulsed modes; CW power output >100kW
and pulsed energies as much as 10kJ

Energy levels of CO2 molecules

• Energy spectrum of molecules complex and includes many
additional features.
• Each electron level associated with number of vibrational levels and
each vibrational level in turn has a number of rotational levels.
• CO2 molecule; a linear molecule consisting of central carbon atom with two
oxygen link one on either side.
 Can undergo Three independent vibrational oscillations – Vibrational
modes.
• Stretching mode
• Bending mode
• Asymmetric stretching mode
 Each mode is quantized; molecules
can have 0,1,2 units of vibrational
energy in each mode
 At any one time, CO2 molecule can
vibrate in any linear combination
of three modes Vibrational modes of CO2 molecule

 Each energy state represented by three quantum numbers (m,n,q) 

represent the amount of energy associated with each mode.
 (0 2 0) pure Bending Mode with two units of energy.
 Each vibrational state associated with rotational states corresponding to
rotation of molecule about its centre of mass
 Much smaller energy separation between vibrational-rotational states.
 A discharge tube having a bore of cross-section 1.5 cm2 & length  25 cm
 Tube filled with a mixture of CO2, N2 & He gases in 1:4:5 proportions.

A schematic of a typical CO2 laser

• A high DC voltage causes an electric discharge to pass through the tube

• Discharge breaks down CO2 molecules to O & CO
• A small amount of water vapour added to gaseous mixture to
regenerate CO2 gas.
 In CO2 laser, N2 plays the
same role as He in He-Ne
laser
 Lowest vibrational levels of
N2 have nearly same
energy as asymmetric
mode of CO2
 Readily transfer of energy
by N2 to CO2 molecules
in resonant collisions. Energy levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen molecules
and transitions between the levels.
 CO2 molecules excited to
(0 0 1) E5 level.
 E4 & E3 ; metastable states
 P. I. established between E5 and E4 levels & E5 and E3
levels
 Lasing transitions:
• E5E4 transitions at 10600 nm
• E5 E3 transitions at 9600 nm
  CO2 molecules at E4 & E3 drops to E2 through inelastic collision with
He atoms
 Decay from E2 level to ground state to be very fast – accumulation
leads to decrease in P.I.
 He-atoms help to depopulate level E2 through collisions.

 E2 level very close to ground state; tends to populate by thermal excitations

 Necessary to keep the temperature of CO2 low
 Hehas a high thermal conductivity and conduct heat away to walls
and keeps CO2 cool.

 In CO2 Lasers; N2 helps to increase population of upper laser

level
whereas, He depopulates the lower laser level.
 Available in different configurations and varying output
powers.
Wave-guide CO2 laser
 Most efficient structure to produce a compact CO2 lasers.
 Consist of two transverse RF electrodes separated by
insulating sections that form bore region; lateral dimensions
of bore up to few mm.
 Provide an RF field across electrodes within bore region
 Can produces CW power of about 100 W.
Gas-Dynamic CO2 laser
 An Electric discharge; not only way to produce P.I. In CO2 gas

 Rapidly flowing hot, high pressure

CO2 gas is allowed to expand
supersonically through an
expansion nozzle into a low
pressure region.
Schematic of an axial flow CO2 laser

• Expansion causes gas to super cool

• In the process, all the molecules do not drop to lower levels
 P.I. Condition is attained

 Design produces CW output > 100 kW

TEA CO2 lasers
• Laser operates at a gas pressure of  1 Atmosphere with pulsed
electric discharge through gas.
• Works better if electric discharge is transverse to the laser axis.

Illustration of a discharge in a TEA laser

 Application of CO2 lasers

 Material processing: cutting, drilling,

welding, etching, melting, annealing,
hardening etc.
 Medical applications such as cutting, crushing
 Excimer Lasers
 An Interesting & Important class of molecular lasers
 First demonstrated in mid 1970s; Most powerful UV
laser
• Active Medium; Diatomic molecules that can
be bound into a single system when they are
in excited state only.
• These diatomic molecules exist only as
monomers in the ground state  repel
one another in atomic distances.
• An excitation modify the state of atoms and
there appears an attractive force with other
atoms. Internal energy of a rare gas halide
molecule in excited and ground
state
 Such molecules which exist only in excited state
 Excited state dimers or Excimers
 Atoms of inert gases can be bound to molecules by imparting energy to them.
 Excimer State; A metastsble state
 When atoms are bound together in the excited state  can occupy several
vibrational levels in the potential well.

 Excited by passing a short, intense electric discharge through a mixture

of desired gases
 Electrons in discharge transfer energy to the lasing gas causing formation
of excited molecules.
 Molecules remain excited for  10ns  drop to ground state and
dissociate. o ULL- electronic excited states
o LLL- electronic ground state
 P.I. occur as soon as atoms bound to form molecules in excited state
 Once molecule drop to lower laser level, it separates out into atoms
 lower laser level is always vacant.

 Excimer Lasers: High gain, No cavity mirrors required; one fully

reflective mirror used in rear & unsilvered transparent window used as
output mirror.
 Examples of active medium for Excimers

• An excited rare gas dimers; Ar2*, Kr2*, Xe2*,

• A rare gas oxides; ArO*, KrO*, XeO*,
• A rare gas atoms in combination with a
halide; ArF*, KrF*, XeCl*,

Major Applications:
• Mainly used in refractive vision correction of Eye (LASIK, PRK)
• Manufacturing of semiconductor devices, Photolithography
• Material processing,
• Pumping of dye lasers.
 Chemical Lasers
 Pumped by energy liberated in a chemical reaction

 Most well known chemical lasers are;

• HF (Hydrogen Fluoride )  Output wavelength range 2.6 to 3.3
m
• DF (Deuterium Fluoride)  Output wavelength range 3.5 to 4.2
 Operates on vibrational transitions  output wavelengths always in IR region
m
• Primarily developed for military and space applications where pumping
power in form of electrical energy may not be available.
• Produces powers of several megawatts (MW)

HF Lasers
 Ingredients: molecular Hydrogen and Fluorine gas; He added as buffer gas
 Molecular species react at normal temperatures under external excitation
such as UV radiations.
 Reaction; Highly Exothermic  Produces a large amount of chemical
energy.
 Excess energy is equivalent to pumping energy- enormous compared to
other
forms of pumping energies.
 Reaction between atomic and molecular H & F gases
• F+H2  HF*+H ; H = -31.7
kcal/mole
• H+F2  HF* +F ; H = -97.9
• Reaction produces vibrationally
kcal/mole
excited HF* molecules
 Lasing action
• End product contains atomic H
and F
• Once reaction starts, it continue
until all the molecular H2 & F2
are consumed.
S
c
 Main Application: High power weaponshon battle field or in space.
e
m
a
 Liquid Lasers
 Tunable Dye lasers
 Active materials : A dye dissolved in a host medium of a liquid solvent
 Situation similar to SSLs; where Cr3+, Nd3+ or Ti3+ ions used in a solid host

Advantages of liquid host is that concentration of the active

ions can be easily varied.
 Typical dye concentrations; 10-4 to 10-3 molar solution
 1024 to 1025 dye molecules per cubic meter.

 Over 200 dyes; Most important one being Rhodamine 6G

• When used, produce tunable output over wavelength range 320
-1200 nm
 Operates both in CW & Pulsed modes
• Pulsed dye laser; pumped by a flash lamp or other laser  400J in 10 s
pulses
 Gain of dye medium is very high ; a small volume of dye solution is
sufficient
to sustain lasing action.
• Organic dye molecules have two sets of
excited states
• Singlet sates; S0, S1, S2
• Triplet states; T1 & T2
• Transitions from singlet states to triplet
states  forbidden

• Optical pumping excites dye molecules

from lowest vibronic level of ground
state S0 to one of upper vibronic level of
excited state S1
• Undergo non-radiative transition to the Schematic representation of the energy
lower vibronic level of S1 – acts as ULL levels of an organic dye molecule.

 Role of LLL played by one of the upper vibronic levels of S0 – closely spaced
levels  form a continuum
• Laser transitions can be to various levels within a range
defined
by vibrationally excited sublevels on the ground state

 Laser operates over a wide/broad range of wavelengths.

Schematic diagram of a laminar-flow dye laser

 Table contd…

 Dye lasers are exclusively used in some areas, e.g. pumping solid
state lasers, spectroscopy with wavelengths which are otherwise
hard to generate. They are also particularly suitable for Intracavity
Laser Absorption Spectroscopy.
References:

1. LASERS: Theory and Applications; MN Avadhanulu, S.

Chand & Company Ltd.
2. Lasers & Optical Instrumentation; S.Nagabhushana and N.
Sathyanarayana, IK International Publishing House (P) Ltd.
3. http://www.colorado.edu/physics/lasers/
4. www.Google.co.in/Search engine