Nd:YAG laser

Nd:YAG laser with lid open showing frequency doubled 532 nm green light.

Nd:YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet; Nd:Y₃Al₅O₁₂) is a crystal that is used as a lasing medium for solid-state lasers. The dopant, triply ionized neodymium, typically replaces yttrium in the crystal structure of the yttrium aluminium garnet, since they are of similar size. Generally the crystalline host is doped with around 1% neodymium by weight. richard norris invented the YAG laser. oscillations in Nd-doped yttrium aluminum, yttrium gallium and gadolinium garnets". Applied Physics Letters 4 10, 182-184 (1964).</ref>.

Technology

An Nd:YAG laser rod

Nd:YAG lasers are optically pumped using a flashlamp or laser diodes. They are one of the most common types of laser, and are used for many different applications.

Nd:YAG lasers typically emit light with a wavelength of 1064 nm, in the infrared. However, there are also transitions near 940, 1120, 1320, and 1440 nm. Nd:YAG lasers operate in both pulsed and continuous mode. Pulsed Nd:YAG lasers are typically operated in the so called Q-switching mode: An optical switch is inserted in the laser cavity waiting for a maximum population inversion in the neodymium ions before it opens. Then the light wave can run through the cavity, depopulating the excited laser medium at maximum population inversion. In this Q-switched mode output powers of 20 megawatts and pulse durations of less than 10 nanoseconds are achieved. The high-intensity pulses may be efficiently frequency doubled to generate laser light at 532 nm, or higher harmonics at 355 and 266 nm.

Nd:YAG absorbs mostly in the bands between 730–760 nm and 790–820 nm. At low current densities krypton flashlamps have higher output in those bands than do the more common xenon lamps, which produce more light at around 900 nm. The former are therefore more efficient for pumping Nd:YAG lasers.

The amount of the neodymium dopant in the material varies according to its use. For continuous wave output, the doping is significantly lower than for pulsed lasers. The lightly doped CW rods can be optically distinguished by being less colored, almost white, while higher-doped rods are pink-purplish.

Other common host materials for neodymium are: YLF (yttrium lithium fluoride, 1047 and 1053 nm), YVO₄ (yttrium orthovanadate, 1064 nm), and glass. A particular host material is chosen in order to obtain a desired combination of optical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Nd:YAG lasers and variants are pumped either by flash lamps, continuous gas discharge lamps, or near-infrared laser diodes (DPSS lasers). Prestabilized laser (PSL) types of Nd:YAG lasers have proved to be particularly useful in providing the main beams for gravitational wave interferometers such as LIGO, VIRGO, GEO600 and TAMA.

Applications

Ophthalmology

Slit lamp photo of Posterior capsular opacification visible few months after implantation of intraocular lens in eye, seen on retroillumination

Nd:YAG lasers are used in ophthalmology to correct posterior capsular opacification, a complication of cataract surgery, and for peripheral iridotomy in patients with acute angle-closure glaucoma, where it has superseded surgical iridectomy. Frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers (wavelength 532 nm) are used for pan-retinal photocoagulation in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Cosmetic medicine

These lasers are also used extensively in the field of cosmetic medicine for laser hair removal and the treatment of minor vascular defects such as spider veins on the face and legs.

Manufacturing

Nd:YAG lasers are also used in manufacturing for engraving, etching, or marking a variety of metals and plastics. They are extensively used in manufacturing for cutting and welding steel and various alloys. For automotive applications (cutting and welding steel) the power levels are typically 1-5 kW. Super alloy drilling (for gas turbine parts) typically uses pulsed Nd:YAG lasers (millisecond pulses, not Q-switched). Nd:YAG lasers are also employed to make subsurface markings in transparent materials such as glass or acrylic glass.

Fluid dynamics

Nd:YAG lasers can also be used for flow visualization techniques in fluid dynamics (for example particle image velocimetry or induced fluorescence).

Dentistry

Nd:YAG lasers are used for soft tissue surgeries in the oral cavity, such as gingivectomy, periodontal sulcular debridement, LANAP, frenectomy, biopsy, and coagulation of graft donor sites.

Laser range finders

Military surplus Nd:YAG laser rangefinder firing. The laser fires through a collimator, focusing the beam, which blasts a hole through a rubber block, releasing a burst of plasma.

The Nd:YAG laser is the most common laser used in military laser rangefinders.

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS)

The Nd:YAG may be used in the application of cavity ring-down spectroscopy, which is used to measure the concentration of some light-absorbing substance.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

Main article: Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

A range of Nd:YAG lasers are used in analysis of elements in the periodic table. Though the application by itself is fairly new with respect to conventional methods such as XRF or ICP, it has proven to be less time consuming and a cheaper option to test element concentrations. A high-power Nd:YAG laser is focused onto the sample surface to produce plasma. Light from the plasma is captured by spectrometers and the characteristic spectra of each element can be identified, allowing concentrations of elements in the sample to be measured.

Additional frequencies

For many applications, the infrared light is frequency-doubled or -tripled using nonlinear optical materials such as lithium triborate to obtain visible (532 nm, green) or ultraviolet light. A green laser pointer is a frequency doubled Nd:YVO₄ DPSS laser. Nd:YAG can be also made to lase at its non-principal wavelength. The line at 946 nm is typically employed in "blue laser pointer" DPSS lasers, where it is doubled to 473 nm.

Physical and chemical properties of Nd:YAG

Properties of YAG crystal

• Formula: Y₃Al₅O₁₂
• Molecular weight: 596.7
• Crystal structure: Cubic
• Hardness: 8–8.5 (Moh)
• Melting point: 1950 °C (3540 °F)
• Density: 4.55 g/cm³

Refractive index of Nd:YAG

Wavelength (μm)	Index n (25°C)
0.8	1.8245
0.9	1.8222
1.0	1.8197
1.2	1.8152
1.4	1.8121

Properties of Nd:YAG @ 25°C (with 1% Nd doping)

• Formula: Y_2.97Nd_0.03Al₅O₁₂
• Weight of Nd: 0.725%
• Atoms of Nd per unit volume: 1.38×10²⁰ /cm³
• Emission wavelength: 1064 nm
• Transition: ⁴F_3/2 → ⁴I_11/2
• Duration of fluorescence: 230 μs
• Thermal conductivity: 0.14 W·cm^-1·K^-1
• Specific heat capacity: 0.59 J·g^-1·K^-1
• Thermal expansion: 6.9×10^-6 K^-1
• dn/dT: 7.3×10^-6 K^-1
• Young's modulus: 3.17×10⁴ K·g/mm^-2
• Poisson's ratio: 0.25
• Resistance to thermal shock: 790 W·m^-1

References and notes

• Siegman, Anthony E. (1986). Lasers. University Science Books. ISBN 0-935702-11-3.
• Yariv, Amnon (1989). Quantum Electronics (3rd Edition ed.). Wiley. ISBN 0-471-60997-8. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
• Koechner, Walter (1988). Solid-State Laser Engineering (2nd Edition ed.). Springer-Verlag. ISBN 3-540-18747-2. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)