Semiconductor Lasers
| Laser gain medium and type | Operation wavelength(s) | Pump source | Applications and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semiconductor laser diode (general information) | 0.4-20 μm, depending on active region material. | Electrical current | Telecommunications, holography, printing, weapons, machining, welding, pump sources for other lasers. |
| GaN | 0.4 μm | Optical discs. 405 nm is used in Blu-ray Discs reading/recording. | |
| AlGaInP, AlGaAs | 0.63-0.9 μm | Optical discs, laser pointers, data communications. 780 nm Compact Disc, 650 nm general DVD player and 635 nm DVD for Authoring recorder laser are the most common lasers type in the world. Solid-state laser pumping, machining, medical. | |
| InGaAsP | 1.0-2.1 μm | Telecommunications, solid-state laser pumping, machining, medical.. | |
| lead salt | 3-20 μm | ||
| Vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) | 850 - 1500 nm, depending on material | Telecommunications | |
| Quantum cascade laser | Mid-infrared to far-infrared. | Research,Future applications may include collision-avoidance radar, industrial-process control and medical diagnostics such as breath analyzers. | |
| Hybrid silicon laser | Mid-infrared | Research |
Read more about this topic: List Of Laser Types