Applications of Laser

Uses of Laser


When lasers were invented in 1960, they were called “a solution looking for a problem". Since then they have become ubiquitous, finding utility in thousands of highly varied applications in every section of modern society, including Consumer electronics, information technology, science, medicine, industry, law enforcement, entertainment, and the military.



1. Commercial Use:
The first application 9 daily lives of the general population was the supermarket barcode scanner, introduced in 1974. The laserdisc player, introduced in 1978, was the first successful COTISUI product to include a laser, but the compact disc player was the first successful laser equipped device to become truly common in consumer’s homes, beginning in 1982, followed shortly by laser printers.

2. Industrial Use:
In industry, lasers are used for cutting steel and other metals and for inscribing patterns (such as the letters on computer keyboards).
Laser welding has found wide applications in industry. In electronic and microelectronics lasers are used for precision welding. As this type of welding is contact-less, the impurities can be considerably reduced. It also allows welding in inaccessible region. It can be used to weld two dissimilar metals. In cutting and drilling of holes the lasers are used. CO2 lasers are used extensively in industry.





3. Military Use:
 Laser range finding technique has many military applications. It can exactly determine the range of the target. It can also be used for target identification.

4. Medicines:
Lasers used in medicine are used for internal surgery and cosmetic applications. Lasers are being used to study Cellular metabolism and photochemical reactions of macro molecular level in biochemistry. The most successful and widely used application of laser in medicine is in eye Surgery. Laser is mainly used in the treatment of retinas. In the treatment of cancer and Tumours, removal of dental caries and in the treatment of fractured bones laser technology is widely used.

Laser surgery is a non-contact process, it is a sterile surgery. It can be said that it is bloodless surgery, since the beam not only cuts but also welds simultaneously. It is very fast and painless Surgery.






5. Distance and Velocity Measurements:

Distances can be measured accurately using laser light. The usual method to measure the distance of an object is to measure the time taken to reach the object.
Portable velocity meters have been constructed mainly for the use of traffic police. The speed of the moving car can be detected by Doppler Effect. The basic idea is to use laser as a source similar to that of radar equipment in police cars.

6. Laser Induced Fusion:
Intense research is being carried out by using laser for thermonuclear fusion processes. Many countries have taken up research programme in laser fusion. It will be harnessed for peaceful use and clean nuclear power plants for electricity production will be set up.

7. Optical Communication:
Visible light has been used for communication purposes. Simple systems such as signal fires, fire works, reflecting mirrors and signaling lamps in railways are examples of such communications. However due to long distances, rain, fog dust and other atmospheric disturbances these signals can not be observed.
Light with its high frequency compared to microwave or radio frequency is a good carrier source for communication purposes. Optical fibers are used along with lasers in communication System.

8. Environmental Studies:
Lasers are increasingly used in pollution control and monitoring the environment. Lasers can be used for remote sensing of the pollutants without collecting the samples. The basic technique is to send a beam of light into the atmosphere and to study the scattered or reflected light or the transmitted light.

9. Holography:

Holography is a powerful technique that produces three dimensional pictures. Dennis Gabor, in 1940 proposed a method of recording three dimensional pictures which is now called Holography.



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