42
ByE.TammyKim
PhotographbyDanielShea
Laser
Lasersarebothpotentand
mundane,high-energybeams
thatcanbeusedtooperate
oneyes,precision-cutmetal
forappliances,andscan
barcodesatthecorner
store.“Lightamplification
bystimulatedemissionof
radiation”neatlydescribes
howthetechnologyworks:
Energyis appliedtoa
medium—suchasa crystal
wafer,liquidsolution,or
gas—whoseparticlesbecome
stimulatedandemitlight.
Mirrorscaptureandamplify
thatlightintoanintensebeam.
A dime-sizeYAGcrystalis
mountedona finger-shaped
metaldevicethatkeeps
thecrystalcool.Energyis
pumpedthroughthecrystal
tocreatea powerfullaser.
May contain
or require
Clustersofdiodelasersprovide
energytotheYAGcrystal.
Theseapplyelectricalcurrent
towafersofgalliumarsenide
wrappedin goldwire.
PRODUCT COURTESY TRUMPF LASERS
Thereareasmanytypesoflasers
asthereareusesforthem.TheYAG
lasershownhere—acrystalofyttrium
aluminumgarnet,sprinkledwith
ytterbium(neodymiumis alsooften
used)—emitsinfraredlight,whose
wavelengthis wellsuitedtowelding.
1
H
Hydrogen
2
He
Helium
10
Ne
Neon
6
C
Carbon
7
N
Nitrogen
8
O
Oxygen
9
F
Fluorine
17
Cl
Chlorine
18
Ar
Argon
13
Al
Aluminum
14
Si
Silicon
70
Yb
Ytterbium
60
Nd
Neodymium
79
Au
Gold
33
As
Arsenic
36
Kr
Krypton
31
Ga
Gallium
26
Fe
Iron
29
Cu
Copper
54
Xe
Xenon
39
Y
Yttrium