Semiconductor Diode Lasers in Atomic Spectroscopy

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a revolution in laser technology—the transition from gas lasers to semiconductor laser diodes doped with group III-V elements. We believe that the impact of semiconductor laser diodes on laser applications will be as strong as the impact of semiconductor elements in electronics in the early 1960s, and that semiconductor laser diodes will replace not only lowpower gas lasers, such as the HeNe laser, but also high-power systems such as the CO lasers used for cutting and welding in material processing Laser diodes already mass produced for instruments such as compact disc plavers barcode scanners laser printers optical systems and telecommunications equioment Of course laser diodes will also have an impact on analytical chemistry.