Ruby is available in two discrete chromium dopant levels, 0.03% and 0.05% by weight substitution of Cr2O3 for Al2O3. The most common is 0.05%. Lasers operating at or near threshold power take advantage of the lower threshold and better slope efficiency of the 0.03% material in this narrow region.
Applications
- High - power Q - switched systems, capable of creating the energy densities needed to generate Thomson scattering in plasma diagnostics.
- High - brightness holographic camera systems with long coherent length.
- High - power systems useful for frequency doubling into the UV spectrum.
- Laser metal working systems capable of drilling holes in hard materials.
- Medical laser systems used for cosmetic dermatology and tattoo removal.
Physical and Optical Properties of Ruby
| Density |
3.98 g/cc
|
Refractive index at 700 nm |
1.7638
Ordinary Ray |
||
| Melting Point |
2040°
C
|
1.7556
Extraordinary Ray |
|||
| Young's Modulus |
345 Gpa
|
Birefringence |
0.008 |
||
| MOR |
425 MPa
|
Refractive Index vs. Chromium Concentration |
3 x 10-3 (Δn
/ % Cr2O3) |
||
| Compressive Strength |
2.0 Gpa
|
Fluorescent Lifetime at 0.05% Cr2O3 |
3 ms at
300 K |
||
| Hardness |
9 Mhos,
2000 Knoop
|
Fluorescent Linewidth (R1) |
5.0 Å at 300K |
||
| Thermal Expansion | 20° to 50° C |
5.8 x 10-6
/ ° C
|
Output Wavelength (R1) |
6.94.3
nm |
|
| 20° to 200° C |
7.7 x 10-6
/ ° C
|
Major Pump Bands |
404 nm
and 554 nm |
||
| Thermal Conductivity | at 0° C |
46.02 W
/ (m•K)
|
|||
| at 100° C |
25.10 W
/ (m•K)
|
||||
| at 400° C |
12.55 W
/ (m•K)
|
All values are for 60° orientation material | |||
