Solid State Lasers

Solid state lasers use a transparent substance (crystalline or glass) as the active medium, doped to provide the energy states necessary for lasing. The pumping mechanism is the radiation from a powerful light source, such as a flash lamp.  Laser material choices for solid state lasers include Nd: Yag, ND: YVO ₄, Nd: YLF, Alexandrite, and Ti: sapphire. Solid-state lasers using yttrium aluminum garnet as the matrix material, doped with neodymium (Nd:YAG) can have wavelength outputs of 1.064 µm, 532 nm, 473 nm, 355 nm, or 266 nm.  Solid-state lasers using yttrium orthvanadate crystal as the matrix material, doped with neodymium (Nd:YVO₄) can have wavelength outputs of 1.064 µm or 532 nm.  Solid-state lasers using LiYF₄ crystal as the matrix material, doped with neodymium (Nd:YLF) can have wavelength outputs of 1.313 µm, 1.053 µm, 527 nm, 523 nm, 351 nm, or 263 nm.  Alexandrite, the common name for chromium-doped chrysoberyl (Cr3+ : BeAl2O4), is a solid-state crystal. It is a four-level, low-gain, and broadly tunable laser (nominal range 700-820 nm) using the energy levels of trivalent chromium in the crystalline host.  A solid-state laser using sapphire as the matrix material, doped with Ti can have wavelength outputs of 700 nm-1.020 µm.

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