Carbon-dioxide laser

Carbon-dioxide laser (often abbreviated as CO2 laser) is a type of gas laser that is primarily used in industrial applications, medicine, and research. The laser was invented by Kumar Patel in 1964 at Bell Labs.

History

The carbon-dioxide laser was first developed by Kumar Patel at Bell Labs in 1964. It was a significant advancement in the field of laser technology due to its high efficiency and output power. The development of the CO2 laser marked a turning point in the use of lasers in industrial and medical applications.

Design and Operation

A carbon-dioxide laser operates by using a mixture of gases, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and helium. The gas mixture is excited by an electrical discharge, which causes the nitrogen molecules to transfer energy to the carbon dioxide molecules. This energy transfer results in the emission of infrared radiation, which is the laser light.

The design of a CO2 laser includes a laser cavity, which is a space between two mirrors where the laser light is amplified. One of the mirrors is partially transparent, allowing the laser light to exit the cavity.

Applications

Carbon-dioxide lasers have a wide range of applications in various fields. In industry, they are used for cutting, welding, and marking materials. In medicine, they are used in surgeries for cutting and vaporizing tissue. In research, they are used in spectroscopy and environmental science.

Safety

Like all lasers, carbon-dioxide lasers pose a risk of eye and skin damage. Therefore, safety measures such as wearing protective eyewear and using laser safety barriers are necessary when operating a CO2 laser.

See Also

• Gas laser
• Laser safety
• Laser technology
• Infrared radiation