IRlaserstrålar

IRlaserstrålar, or infrared laser beams, are beams of light produced by stimulated emission with wavelengths longer than the visible spectrum. They are often coherent and highly directional, enabling focused power densities used in precision tasks. The term IR-laserstrålar is common in Swedish-language literature; in English they are infrared laser beams.

Wavelength ranges are conventionally divided into near-infrared (~0.75–3 μm), mid-infrared (~3–8 μm), and long-wave IR (~8–15 μm), with further subdivisions. Common sources include diode lasers and solid-state lasers at ~0.8–1.6 μm (Nd:YAG at 1064 nm, fiber lasers at 1030–1080 nm), and CO2 lasers at 10.6 μm; mid-IR sources include Er:YAG at 2.94 μm, Ho:YAG at 2.1 μm, and quantum cascade lasers around 3–12 μm.

Applications include materials processing (cutting, welding, marking), telecommunications (optical fibers, especially around 1310 and 1550 nm), medical surgery (laser ablation, ophthalmology), and spectroscopy/sensing (gas detection, chemical analysis).

Safety and measurement considerations are important for IR beams, which are often invisible and can damage eyes and skin. Engineering controls such as enclosures and beam stops, along with protective eyewear specified for the operating wavelength, are standard. Instrumentation includes calibrated power meters and detectors such as InGaAs, InSb, or HgCdTe sensors. Safety standards referenced in many contexts include IEC 60825-1 and the ANSI Z136 series.