3 Types of Lasers and Applications

According to the gain material, lasers can be divided into the following types. Several
common used lasers are listed in each type.[1]

Gas Lasers:

Laser
Operation
Gain Pump Source Applications and Notes
Wavelength(s)
Medium

Interferometry, holography,
Helium- spectroscopy, barcode scanning,
632.8nm Electrical discharge
neon laser alignment, optical
demonstrations

Retinal phototherapy (for

Argon 454.6 nm, 488.0 nm, diabetes), lithography, confocal
Electrical discharge
laser 514.5 nm microscopy, spectroscopy
pumping other lasers

Carbon
Material processing (cutting,
dioxide 10.6 m, (9.4 m) Electrical discharge
welding, etc.), surgery
laser

193 nm (ArF), 248 nm Excimer Ultraviolet lithography for

Excimer
(KrF), 308 nm (XeCl), 353 recombination via semiconductor manufacturing,
laser
nm (XeF) electrical discharge laser surgery

Solid State Lasers:

Laser Gain Operation

Pump Source Applications and Notes
Medium Wavelength(s)

Holography, tattoo removal. The first type

Ruby laser 694.3nm Flash Lamp
of visible light laser invented; May 1960.

Material processing, laser target

Nd:YAG Flash Lamp, designation, surgery, research, pumping
1.064 m, (1.32 m)
laser Laser Diode other lasers. One of the most common high
power lasers.
Erbium
um doped fibers are commonly used as
doped glass 1.53-1.56 m Laser diode
optical amplifiers for telecommunications.
lasers

F-center Mid infrared to far Electrical

Research
laser infrared current

Metal-vapou r Lasers:

Laser Gain Operation

Pump Source Applications and Notes
Medium Wavelength(s)

Helium- Electrical discharge in Printing and typesetting

cadmium metal vapour mixed applications, fluorescence
441.563 nm, 325 nm
(HeCd) metal- with helium buffer excitation examination (ie. in U.S.
vapour laser gas. paper currency printing)

Copper vapour Dermatological uses, high speed

510.6 nm, 578.2 nm Electrical discharge
laser photography, pump for dye lasers

Other types of lasers:

Laser Gain
Operation Wavelength(s) Pump Source Applications and Notes
Medium

Depending on materials,
Dye lasers
usually a broad spectrum
Research, spectroscopy,
Other laser, flash
birthmark removal, isotope
lamp
separation.

Free
A broad wavelength range Relativistic Atmospheric research, material
electron
(about 100 nm - several mm) electron beam science, medical applications
laser