An Introduction to Laser Spectroscopy

Abstract

This chapter describes the different types of lasers and the principles, uses, and advantages. Lasers can be classified according the active medium or the wavelength of the emitted radiation. The most general division based on the first criterion consists of gas lasers, liquid lasers, and solid-state lasers. The materials used in generating laser are explained, these include ruby lasers, molecular gas lasers from the infrared region that include types of CO2 lasers are described with diagrams and illustrations. Chemical lasers emit radiation in the far-infrared and infrared regions, and the chemical lasers that emit radiation from visible range are of great interest in military technologies are outlined. The most typical chemical reactions utilized in chemical lasers are provided in a table. The other types explained in detail are the solid-state lasers, liquid dye lasers and gas lasers for the visible range and the ultraviolet range. The diode-lasers that work in a slightly different principle are discussed in the chapter. References to other resources are provided at the end.