0.1. CONSTRUCTION & WORKING OF CO2 LASER.

0.1 Construction & Working of CO2 Laser.

CO2 laser is the first ever continuous wave laser and it is invented by Indian Engineer Chandra
Shekara Naranbhaih Patel in 1962. The CO2 laser is the very powerful lase it have the enough
energy even to cut metallic objects with high speed.

Symmetric mode

In this mode the oxygen atoms moves to and fro (oscillate) along the molecular axis about the
fixed carbon atom, this is the intermediate mode of energy is indicated by (100), and (100)1
indicates the molecules have one unit of energy in symmetric mode.

Figure 1: Oscillation of oxy- Figure 2: Approaching of Figure 3: Departing of oxy-

gen atoms about fixed carbon oxygen atoms towards fixed gen atoms away from fixed
atom. carbon atom. carbon atom.

Asymmetric mode

In this mode the oxygen atoms moves in one direction while carbon atom moves in opposite
direction along the molecular axis, this is the highest mode of energy indicated by (001).

Figure 4: Oxygen atoms moves rightward Figure 5: Oxygen atoms moves leftward
while carbon atom moves leftward. while carbon atom moves rightward.

Bending mode

In this mode the carbon atoms moves up while oxygen atoms moves down that is perpendicular
to the molecular axis and vice versa also true.
1
(100) Indicates Bending & Asymmetric mode is zero, while symmetric mode have one unit of energy.

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Figure 6: Oxygen atoms moves upward Figure 7: Oxygen atoms moves down-
while carbon atom moves downward. ward while carbon atom moves upward.

Construction

CO2 laser consists of quartz tube of length of 2.6cm, & area of cross section 1.5mm2 is filled
with carbon dioxide, helium & nitrogen in the ratio of 1:4:5, the electrodes are provided to
produce electric discharge in the gaseous mixture, the discharge tube is circulated with water
vapour in order to maintain cooler. One side there is fully silvered mirror while other side there
is partially silvered mirror (Partiality varies from 10% to 90% depending upon the power of
out put is required)

Working

Figure 8: Energy level diagram of CO2 laser.

• When the electric discharge produced in the gaseous mixture, the nitrogen atoms readily
excites from ground state E 1 to the higher energy state say E 2 ,
• these atoms returns into the ground state by transferring their energy through inelastic
collisions (resonant energy transfer) to the CO2 molecules which are in ground state.

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0.1. CONSTRUCTION & WORKING OF CO2 LASER. 3

• Now the CO2 molecules excites to the higher energy states say E5 since it is metastable
state the population inversion could be achieved between two sets of energy levels say E5
& E3 and E4 & E3 , therefore the laser action takes place between them is as follows
• Transition E5 → E3 generates the laser beam of wavelength of 9.6µ lies in IR region.
• Transition E4 → E3 generates the laser beam of wavelength of 10.6µ lies in IR region.
• E3 →E2 through the collisions with walls of the discharge tube. The CO2 molecules halts
in this state and the laser action stops, therefore these atom is made decay into the E1
state.
• E2 →E1 through the inelastic collisions with He atoms. The He atoms enhances the
efficiency of CO2 laser.

Sreenatha N R 3 Government Engineering College, Hassan- 573201