YAG lasers exist in several types : Pulsed, diode-pumped and lamp-pumped CW YAG lasers.
The techniques are focused on the quality or maximum power of a beam extracted from the cavity. Compared to CO2 lasers, YAG lasers have the advantage of optical fibers use for beam transport.
CW YAG lasers
The pumping chamber is formed through "continuous" emission of one or two flash lamps excited by the active laser medium. Several pumping chambers can be assembled to perform lasers with a power of up to 5000 W. Energy beam magnification is performed by successive round trips in the laser medium. The emitted beam is guided to one or several workstations via fixed or moving mirrors, or by optical fibers.
Pulsed YAG lasers
The resonator and pumping chambers are designed similarly to those of CW YAG lasers. Excitement can be carried out in different ways. The flash lamps are powered at variable frequencies and pulse durations which are perfectly defined and reproducible over time. The emission of a laser pulse matches to each electric pulse. Excitation control of the flash lamps enables to monitor the temporal profile of the energy emitted by laser pulse. The pump module allows for laser energy production on the order of about 50 J for the average power of 500 W.
Courtesy of IREPA LASER
