Helium Cadmium Laser

 Best known metal vapor laser

 Output spectrum blue @441.6 and UV @354

and 352
 Partial pressure of cadmium is 1% of helium

 Bore is 1-2mm

 Cadmium is distributed in the bore by a process

called cataphoresis
 Cadmium is heated and vaporized at anone

 And is transported to cathode by the electric

field acting on Cd ions

 It the condenses at the cathode
structure
Structure
Small bore
 Three mechnism
 Penning Ionisation from He meta stable state to
cd upper laser levels
 Electron excitationn from cadmium ion ground
state to upper laser level
 Photoionization of cd atoms to populate upper
laser level via emission from 50-60nm
transitions of helium atoms(relatively
contribution is less)