Tunable lasers can produce variable wavelengths or frequencies, allowing for multiple uses and greater control. Dye lasers were the first tunable lasers and can emit a wide range of frequencies. Tunable lasers are used in spectroscopy, communications, and even uranium isotope separation. They are becoming more economically feasible for industrial use and are useful in medicine.
A tunable laser is a type of laser diode that can be tuned to produce a variable wavelength or frequency. This tunable feature allows the laser to be used for more than one purpose and allows the operator more control over the function of the tunable laser than is possible with traditional laser units. The tuning regions of the tunable laser range from infrared to visible and ultraviolet light emissions. In theory, tunable lasers could eventually be able to change frequencies or wavelengths in individual packets of a transmission, rather than in bundled packets as laser tuning is currently done.
The first tunable lasers were the dye lasers, discovered in 1966. By introducing dye into the beam of a laser, researchers were able to adjust the wavelength of light emitted by the laser. The dye laser offers an extremely wide bandwidth of emitted light frequencies, thus making this type of tunable laser one of the widest. In some cases, the laser beam is repeatedly intercepted by different prisms, dyes and diffraction gratings to further tune or isolate a certain desired wavelength.
Using various prisms, diffraction gratings and dyes, the first tunable lasers were demonstrated in the laboratory and further studies of the technique continued. This research has been further expanded to include a broad range of laser research and applied technology. There are now four classifications of tunable lasers: single-line, multi-line, narrowband, and broadly tunable.
The use of tunable laser technology is seen in various applications. Both spectroscopy and photochemistry make use of tunable lasers to study chemical compositions and the effect of light on the chemicals being studied. Optical communications or fiber optic communications also use tunable lasers and related technology to perform various functions. These lasers are even used to separate uranium isotopes for use as fuel for nuclear power plants in a process called atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS).
The tunable laser has seen moderate use in industry. Used in cutting, welding and burning applications, it is starting to see increased use as the price of the technology drops into an economically feasible range for many industries, such as metalworking and electronics. The tunable laser has also proven useful in the field of medicine, providing precision laser surgery and other medical treatments or tests that would have been impossible without this technology.
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