flashlaser

A flashlaser is a pulsed laser system that emits brief, intense bursts of coherent light. The pulses are typically short enough to produce high peak powers, ranging from nanoseconds to tens of nanoseconds in many commercial devices, though ultrafast variants produce even shorter pulses.

Operation and design: Most flashlasers rely on a gain medium such as Nd:YAG, ruby, dye, or fiber, and are pumped by a flashlamp or high-brightness diode. They achieve short pulses through techniques such as Q-switching, which introduces a rapid release of stored energy, or mode-locking in compact configurations. The result is a pulse that can travel with high peak power while the average power remains modest.

Applications and advantages: The short pulse duration enables precise material removal with limited heat-affected zones, making flashlasers useful for micromachining, drilling, engraving, and surface structuring. They are also applied in some medical and industrial processes, spectroscopy in research settings, and in LIDAR systems where brief, bright flashes aid distance measurement. Limitations include system complexity, cost, and safety requirements for high-intensity beams.

Safety and history: Pulsed lasers have a history dating to the 1960s with the development of Q-switched and mode-locked devices. Modern flashlasers emphasize diode pumping for efficiency and compactness, with adherence to laser safety standards to protect eyes and skin. See also: Q-switched laser, mode-locked laser, ultrafast laser.