A Brief Introduction to Argon Ion Lasers

Although the argon ion laser was not the first laser invented, it has become one of the most popular ion lasers in use today. Invented in 1964 by William Bridges at Hughes Aircraft, the argon ion laser uses, as its name implies, high purity argon gas as the lasing medium. A multi-line argon ion laser can generate up to 18 discrete laser lines (wavelengths) ranging from the UV (275.4nm) to visible green (528.7nm) with the majority of the power being developed at the 488nm and 514.5nm lines. Argon ion lasers are commercially available in a variety of configurations to accommodate a wide variety of applications. Argon lasers may be configured to produce a single laser line only or configured to produce multiple laser lines simultaneously. They may also be fitted with polarizing optics to yield a polarized laser beam. Additionally, argon ion lasers can be manufactured to produce optical power levels ranging from a few milliwatts to power levels exceeding 20 watts. Argon ion lasers are used in a wide variety of applications. These applications include, but are not limited to, Raman Spectroscopy, Microscopy, Flow Cytometry, Holography, Entertainment, Forensics, Ophthalmic Surgery and sources for optical pumping. Argon ion lasers are also used extensively in scientific, research and educational applications. Although advances in laser technology over the years have lead to the development and commercialization of numerous additional laser light sources, the argon ion laser has been, and will continue to be, a predictable and reliable laser light source for many applications.

Argon Ion Laser Basics

The Plasma Tube
The heart of any argon laser is the plasma tube, and the key component of the plasma tube is the bore. The design of the plasma tube / bore must be such that it can sustain extremely high temperatures without damage while maintaining an excellent vacuum seal. The material of choice for the bore of an argon ion laser plasma tube is BeO since it has a low vapor pressure and can be produced with a high chemical purity. When properly sealed, a plasma tube utilizing a BeO bore will allow the argon gas pressure within the tube to remain at its approximate 1 torr level for many years, thus assuring many hours of reliable laser operation. In addition to its afore mentioned valuable properties, BeO is also an excellent thermal conductor. As such, the large amount of

heat, generated by the plasma discharge within the bore, is readily conducted to the exterior of the BeO bore where it is then removed by means of forced air cooling (low to medium power argon lasers) or flowing water in a water jacket (high power argon lasers).

The Resonator Assembly

In order for the plasma tube to produce laser energy, the bore must function as part of an optically resonant cavity. To accomplish this, mirrors are placed at each end of the bore facing perpendicular to the length of the bore. As noted in the diagram below, one of these mirrors is a highly reflective mirror while the other is only partially reflective. Slight adjustments are then made to the angle of the mirrors until optimal alignment is achieved. In older argon ion laser designs, both ends of the plasma tube were fitted with Brewster Windows which allowed the optical energy within the bore to freely exit both ends of the plasma tube. This type of plasma tube was then installed within a rather bulky resonator assembly in which the mirrors were rigidly fixed to angle adjustable end plates. Once achieved, proper alignment was maintained rather well due to the bulky and rigid design of the resonator assembly.

Sealed Mirror Technology

Today, most argon ion lasers have done away with the bulky resonator assembly. Instead, the mirrors are permanently bonded, in a vacuum tight manner, to specially designed mounts directly at each end of the plasma. Thus mounted, these mirrors eliminate the need for Brewster Windows, and the required optically resonant cavity is thus achieved with significant reductions in bulk, size, and weight. These "sealed mirror" laser tubes are not only less bulky and smaller, but they also provide greater long term alignment stability and are less susceptible to misalignments during transit.

The Power Supply

While the plasma tube is the heart of an argon ion laser, it will function only when energy is supplied to start and maintain a plasma discharge within the bore. A power supply which is specifically designed to operate a plasma tube is necessary. This power supply must not only supply an initial triggering pulse (6KV to 8KV) to initiate the plasma discharge, but it must also maintain the plasma discharge. For small to medium size argon ion lasers, the power supply may be required to deliver up to 12 amps of DC current at up to 140VDC. For large argon ion lasers, the current may be as much as 45 amps of DC current at up to 600VDC. Early argon ion laser power supplies were very large, expensive, and rather inefficient. Major advances in semiconductor technology, coupled with significant enhancements of electronic components in general, have lead to many significant improvements in power supplies for all types of ion lasers. Modern argon laser power supplies are much smaller, more reliable, more efficient, and provide overall better laser performance. Today, state-of-the-art ion laser power supplies operate at very high efficiencies (>93%), provide Power Factor Correction, and will operate over a wide AC line voltage range (typically 95VAC to 265VAC).