1. INTRODUCTION TO LASERS
TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
SCARSDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL

2. Many of the pictures for this “LASER” presentation came
from
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3. LASER
Originally LASER was an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Now laser is a word used to identify this type of equipment or the light it produces.
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4. The Atom Different electron orbits represent different energy levels.
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5. The Electron Applying energy to an electron causes it to jump
to a higher orbit.
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6. The Photon When the electron drops back to its original orbit it
releases a particle called a photon. Light is made up
of photons.
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7. Wavelength of Light Light moves in waves that are similar
to ripples in water.
Light is an example of electromagnetic radiation: It doesn’t
require a medium to pass through
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8. Wavelength of Light c f Wavelength (): The distance the wave travels
1 CYCLE
Wavelength (): The distance the wave travels
in one cycle.
Frequency (f): The number of times a cycle
repeats in one second (Hertz,
formerley cycles/second).
 = c f
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9. Wavelength of Light ~ 700 nanometers HERTZ  ENERGY ~ 400 nanometers
HIGHER
FREQUENCY
LESS
ENERGY
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10. 1 NANOMETER IS ONE BILLIONTH OF A METER
A human hair is about 80,000
nanometers in diameter. 
That’s about 115 times the
wavelength () of red light.
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11. Light Bulb Light is not focused Light is made up of many colors (wavelengths) Light is not coherent
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12. White Light Light From A Light Bulb All colors (wavelengths).
More longer
wavelengths.
Light is not
coherent.
focused.
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13. Laser Light Light is very focused Light is made up of one color (wavelength) Light is coherent
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14. Laser Light Light From A Laser One color (wavelength).
Light is coherent.
Light is focused.
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15. Theodore Maiman First Ruby Laser 1960
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16. How a Laser Works
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17. Ruby Laser
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18. Types of Lasers Based on the Material Used in the Laser
Classes of Lasers Based on the Biological Damage the Laser Can Cause
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19. Typical Lasers and Their Emission Wavelengths
Laser Type Wavelength (nm)
Argon fluoride (UV) 193
Krypton fluoride (UV) 248
Nitrogen (UV) 337
Argon (blue) 488
Argon (green) 514
Helium neon (green)
Helium neon (red) 633
Rhodamine 6G dye (tunable)
Ruby (CrAlO3) (red) 694
Nd:Yag (NIR)
Carbon dioxide (FIR)
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20. Optical Damage Threshold Test NASA Research Center
The Optical Damage Threshold test station at NASA Langley
Research Center has three lasers: a high-energy pulsed ND:Yag laser,
a Ti:sapphire laser and an alignment HeNe laser.
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21. Classes of Lasers Based on the Biological Damage the Laser Can Cause
Class I: Lasers that don’t produce any harmful radiation.
Class II: Lasers that are harmful if viewed for long periods of time. (The assumption is that people wouldn’t let this happen.)
Class III: Lasers that are dangerous for short exposure. (Many laser pointers are class
III lasers!)
Class IV: Lasers that can blind or burn after a very brief exposure. These can only be used under very controlled conditions.
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22. LASER WEAPONS “Do you expect me to talk Goldfinger?”
“No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.”
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23. Laser Gun Sights
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24.  Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System MILES (2000) “Laser Tag” for Soldiers
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25. Laser Targeting System Aircraft Mounted
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26. Laser Guided Bomb (“Smart” Bomb)
Control surfaces
Guidance system
Optical sensor
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27. Laser Targeting 2. Laser guided weapon tracks laser spot on target.
system “paints”
target.
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28. Laser Targeting System Ground Based
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29. Laser Targeting Countermeasures AN/VVR-1 Laser Warning Receiver System
detects
the targeting
laser.
Countermeasures
include smoke,
brighter laser
beam,
maneuvering,
etc.
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30. Laser Guided Missile Hellfire laser guided missiles mounted on a
US Army Apache helicopter gunship.
Newer variation (Hellfire II) replaces laser guidance
with radar guidance to penetrate smoke and cloud cover.
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31. ABL Airborne Laser Antimissile Weapon United States Air Force
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32. ABL Nose Turret
CO2 Targeting Laser
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33. LASERS IN MANUFACTURING

34. Punch Press Typical Stamped Parts Punch Press Problems
Dangerous to operate.
Required long runs
to be profitable.
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35. Laser Cutter
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36. Computer Control of Laser Cutter Equipment
No human contact
with the part during operation.
Computer program
can be loaded
quickly. Shorter
runs are now
profitable.
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37. Laser Welding
Welded Parts
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38. Laser Welding Welded car door panel made from three types of steel.
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39. Laser Stereolithography (SLA)
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40. Part Produced by SLA
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41. LASERS IN MEDICINE
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42. Laser Eye Surgery LAser in SItu Keratomileusis (Lasik)
2. Laser removes tissue
from remaining cornea
to change its shape.
1. Tiny flap
of outer
cornea folded
back.
3. Flap of outer
cornea then
reattached.
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43. Laser Tattoo Removal (Doesn’t always work!)
The laser beam breaks up the pigments in the tattoo
into small particles. Then the body’s immune system
attacks and destroys them.
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44. Laser Dentistry Major advantage is no “drilling sound”.
Water jet
Laser
Major advantage is no “drilling sound”.
Can’t be used on existing metal fillings.
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45. LASER TESTING AND MEASURING
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46. Laser Bar Code Scanning
Universal Product Code (UPC) Label
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47. Barcode on a UPS Label
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48. Barcode Scanner
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49. Railroad Car Sorting Using Barcode Scanning
Labels were often too dirty for the
scanners to read.
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50. Laser Surface Roughness Tester
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51. Laser Level
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52. Laser Speed Measurement New York State Police
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53. Telescope Calibration Lick Observatory
The adaptive optics system at the Shane 3 meter telescope utilizes a 20-watt sodium laser to put a false star in the sky. The system uses the star to compensate for atmospheric disturbances, creating sharper, clearer images of the objects observed.
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54. LASER COMMUNICATION
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55. Laser Printer
Corona Wire
Discharge
Lamp
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56. Laser Disk Land Pit Beam reflects: Beam doesn’t reflect: logical 1.
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57. Laser Disk Drive
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58. MODULATION Superimposing a weak signal on a strong one
MODULATED LASER BEAM: Changes in the beam represent
information in the audio signal.
Audio
Laser Carrier
DEMODULATOR: Removes audio signal from the modulated laser beam.
MODULATOR: Combines audio
signal and laser beam.
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59. FIBER OPTICS Transparent “Pipe” for Light to Travel Through
Advantages:
Very high capacity.
Can’t be tapped into.
Not affected by electromagnetic (EM) interference.
Allows light to travel around corners.
Disadvantages:
Expensive.
Can be difficult to install.
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60. Fiber Optics Center fiber optic cable has greater capacity than any of these bundles of cable.
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