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Ragnarok
6th June 2010, 07:16 AM
Some lasers use metal in its vapor state as the medium to generate coherent light across the spectrum. Some of these lasers use precious metals.

Snips from Wiki:

"Metal ion lasers are gas lasers that generate deep ultraviolet wavelengths. Helium-silver (HeAg) 224 nm and neon-copper (NeCu) 248 nm are two examples. These lasers have particularly narrow oscillation linewidths of less than 3 GHz (0.5 picometers),[3] making them candidates for use in fluorescence suppressed Raman spectroscopy."

"Helium-cadmium (HeCd) metal-vapor laser 441.563 nm (deep blue), 325 nm (UV). Electrical discharge in metal vapor mixed with helium buffer gas. Printing and typesetting applications, fluorescence excitation examination (ie. in U.S. paper currency printing), scientific research.

Helium-mercury (HeHg) metal-vapor laser 567 nm (yellow-green), 615 nm (orange). Rare, scientific research, amateur laser construction.

Helium-selenium (HeSe) metal-vapor laser up to 24 wavelengths between red and UV. Rare, scientific research, amateur laser construction.

Helium-silver (HeAg) metal-vapor laser[2] 224.3 (UV) nm. Scientific research
Strontium Vapor Laser 430.5 nm (blue-violet) Scientific research

Neon-copper (NeCu) metal-vapor laser[2] 248.6 nm (UV) Electrical discharge in metal vapor mixed with neon buffer gas. Scientific research

Copper vapor laser 510.6 nm (green), 578.2 nm (yellow) Electrical discharge Dermatological uses, high speed photography, pump for dye lasers.

Gold vapor laser 627 nm (red) Rare, dermatological and photodynamic therapy uses."

Below is shown a helium-cadmium laser:

R.

CrufflerJJ
21st June 2010, 09:33 AM
Some lasers use metal in its vapor state as the medium to generate coherent light across the spectrum. Some of these lasers use precious metals.


Many moons ago, I was a wee-li'l student slave-assistant in the Optical Engineering Group of an Air Force-sponsored University doing "Star Wars" research, among other things.

I was able to work with Helium Neon, diode, Argon, pulsed Ruby, NdYAG, and Metal Vapor lasers (among others).

The main researcher working on metal vapor lasers was Turkish gentleman who pronounced "vapor" as "wapor". Then again, about every other word out of his mouth was a curse word! ;D

Lasers are pretty neat...they produce amazingly PURE, beautifully colored beams. If you handle them foolishly, they will bite you.