ND YAG Lasers

ND YAG Lasers

In metalworking contexts, Nd:YAG lasers are used to cut sheet metal and thin metal tubing; they can also be used for welding, sintering, singeing and engraving. Lasers are particularly effective engraving tools because they are able to produce engravings with depths of only a few micrometers without ever actually touching a surface; this quality makes lasers especially useful for fabricators of small electronics components. In healthcare contexts, Nd:YAG lasers can be used to create precise, sterile incisions during dental, cosmetic or other kinds of surgical procedures. They can also be used for outpatient procedures like wart removal, but in some cases erbium:YAG lasers have proven to be more effective, as erbium neutralizes pathogens vaporized during laser treatment that neodymium fails to kill. This can reduce the chances of clinicians becoming infected by their patients during laser treatment procedures.

Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. All lasers are light amplification and focusing tools. In the case of Nd:YAG lasers, an Nd:YAG crystal is placed in an optical amplification enclosure and electrified; this stimulates the material's electrons, and they emit radiation as they move between energy levels. This light radiation is then amplified and directed by strategically placed reflective surfaces within the amplification enclosure. They are directed through one or more lenses, which focus them as they leave the enclosure. The focal point of the light is the point at which the beam of light produces the most heat, and it is at that point where treatment subjects are positioned. The "Nd" in Nd:YAG indicates a neodymium doping additive. Dopants are special materials that are added to gain media like YAG to make stimulated emission possible. YAG is always combined with some doping agent to produce a laser beam, though neodymium is the most common. Other dopants used to treat YAG include ytterbium, thulium and dysprosium.