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What materials can serve as laser media?
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laser
Basic laser components.
A wide variety of materials can serve as laser media, as the process of stimulated emission can occur in many different physical states. These materials include:1
- Crystals and Glasses: These are often doped with specific atoms, such as neodymium, erbium, or ytterbium, to facilitate lasing.1
- Gases: Various gases, such as helium and neon, argon, krypton, and carbon-dioxide, are commonly used.1
- Semiconductors: Semiconductor diode lasers utilize the p-n junction as the medium.1
- Liquids: Dye lasers use liquids containing organic dye molecules.1
- Other Media: High-energy electron beams (as seen in free-electron lasers) and even materials like gelatin doped with appropriate substances can generate laser beams.1
In chemical lasers, the excited molecules required for stimulated emission are generated through chemical reactions.1