The
solid state laser(
opticaly pumped
crystal laser)
was the first
laser type
invented. The
first one was built early 1960s and used a
syntetic ruby rod
as the lasing
media. The lasing
crystal in a
solid state
laser is a
rod with a
mirror in each end. One of the
mirrors
is
semitransparent so some of the light may
escape. This rod
is then mounted in side a
high power xenon tube.
Xenon tube
_ _ _
/ \ / \ / \
| O | | | | |
m \_/ \_/ \_/ semitransparent
i .---------------------. mirror
r -- | Crystal rod ::::::::::::::::::::
r | ::::::::::::::::::::
o `---------------------' beam
r /"\ /"\ /"\
| | | | | O |
\_/ \_/ \_/
When the
xenon tube is
triggered it will send a
pulse
of
photons through the rod. This stimulates the
atoms to
send out
photons. Some of these will be
reflected by the end
mirrors and
stimulate futher
photon emission. This light is
coherent and
monochromatic. After bouncing a few times the light will
pass through a nonreflective
area of the
mirror and
will be part of the beam.
This laser type is most used in
reasearch since it is relatively
expensive in relation with the
Helium Neon Laser and the
Laser diode