Optics, Photonics & Laser

Laser and Its Types

There are four types which are: solid state, gas, dye, and semiconductor. The characteristics of each type will be described. Solid State Lasers employ a lasing material distributed in a solid matrix. One example is the Neodymium: YAG laser (Nd:YAG).

• Solid-state laser:   A solid-state laser is a laser that uses solid as a laser medium. In these lasers, glass or crystalline materials are used
• Gas laser: A gas laser is a laser in which an electric current is discharged through a gas inside the laser medium to produce laser light. In gas lasers, the laser medium is in the gaseous state
• Liquid laser: A liquid laser is a laser that uses the liquid as laser medium. In liquid lasers, light supplies energy to the laser medium.
• Semiconductor laser: Semiconductor lasers play an important role in our everyday life. These lasers are very cheap, compact size and consume low power. Semiconductor lasers are also known as laser diodes.