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Laser Types, Wavelengths and Typical Applications Reference

Pick a laser type or a wavelength and see the matching gain medium, spectral region and the jobs that laser usually does. It is a fast reference for production planners, technicians and buyers who need to translate between product names and wavelengths without opening five datasheets.

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Laser	Gain medium	Wavelength	Spectral region	Typical operation	Typical use
Helium-neon (HeNe)	He and Ne gas	632.8 nm	Visible red	CW	Alignment, interferometry, metrology reference
Argon-ion	Ionised argon	488 nm and 514.5 nm	Visible blue and green	CW	Fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, older display and lithography uses
Helium-cadmium	He and Cd vapour	325 nm and 442 nm	UV and blue	CW	Holography, photoresist exposure, fluorescence
Nitrogen laser	Nitrogen gas	337.1 nm	UV	Pulsed	Pumping dye lasers, fluorescence studies
Ruby	Cr3+ in sapphire	694.3 nm	Visible red	Pulsed	Historic pulsed laser, holography, tattoo removal
Nd:YAG	Nd3+ in YAG crystal	1064 nm	Near infrared	CW, Q-switched or pulsed	Marking, engraving, welding, rangefinding, medical
Nd:YAG frequency doubled	Nd:YAG with SHG crystal	532 nm	Visible green	Q-switched or CW	Green marking, laser pointers, pumping Ti:sapphire
Nd:YAG frequency tripled	Nd:YAG with THG crystal	355 nm	UV	Q-switched	Fine marking of glass and plastics, wafer micromachining
Nd:YVO4	Nd3+ in YVO4 crystal	1064 nm	Near infrared	Q-switched, high repetition rate	Precision marking, thin film scribing, micromachining
Ytterbium fiber	Yb-doped silica fiber	about 1030 to 1080 nm	Near infrared	CW or pulsed	Metal cutting, welding, marking, cleaning
Erbium fiber	Er-doped silica fiber	about 1550 nm	Near infrared (eye-safer band)	CW or pulsed	Telecom amplifiers, lidar, some marking
Thulium fiber	Tm-doped silica fiber	about 1900 to 2050 nm	Short-wave infrared	CW or pulsed	Plastic welding, medical soft tissue
Holmium:YAG	Ho3+ in YAG	2100 nm	Short-wave infrared	Pulsed	Medical lithotripsy and soft tissue
Erbium:YAG	Er3+ in YAG	2940 nm	Mid infrared	Pulsed	Dental and dermatological ablation
Carbon dioxide (CO2)	CO2, N2 and He gas	10600 nm (also 9.4 um)	Long-wave infrared	CW or pulsed	Cutting and engraving non-metals, sheet metal cutting, welding
Ti:sapphire	Ti3+ in sapphire	about 690 to 1050 nm tunable	Red to near infrared	CW or ultrafast pulsed	Femtosecond research, multiphoton microscopy, micromachining
Alexandrite	Cr3+ in chrysoberyl	755 nm (tunable)	Near infrared	Pulsed	Hair and tattoo removal, some LIDAR
ArF excimer	Argon fluoride	193 nm	Deep UV	Pulsed	Semiconductor lithography, corneal surgery
KrF excimer	Krypton fluoride	248 nm	Deep UV	Pulsed	Lithography, micromachining, annealing
XeCl excimer	Xenon chloride	308 nm	UV	Pulsed	Dermatology, thin-film annealing
Blue GaN diode	InGaN semiconductor	about 405 to 450 nm	Violet and blue	CW	Optical storage, projectors, copper processing, 3D printing
Red diode	AlGaInP semiconductor	about 635 to 670 nm	Visible red	CW	Pointers, alignment, barcode scanners
High-power GaAs diode	AlGaAs semiconductor	808 nm, 915 nm, 940 nm, 976 nm	Near infrared	CW	Pumping solid-state and fiber lasers, direct diode processing
VCSEL	GaAs-based semiconductor	850 nm and 940 nm typical	Near infrared	CW or modulated	Data links, 3D sensing, proximity sensors
Telecom DFB diode	InGaAsP semiconductor	1310 nm and 1550 nm	Near infrared	CW, modulated	Fiber optic transmitters
Quantum cascade (QCL)	Semiconductor superlattice	about 4 to 12 um	Mid to long infrared	CW or pulsed	Gas sensing, spectroscopy, countermeasures

Wavelengths are nominal and several lasers have multiple lines or tunable ranges. Diode and fiber laser wavelengths vary by vendor and temperature. Always confirm against the datasheet and the laser safety label of the specific product.

Laser asset record check

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How to use this reference

Search by wavelength, for example 1064, or by job, such as cutting or marking. Each row lists the nominal wavelength, the spectral region and the typical mode of operation. Use it to cross-check a quote, a safety label or an eyewear selection, since protective eyewear is rated by wavelength range and optical density. Export the filtered list to Excel to attach to a routing or equipment record.

Check the wavelength against the label on the laser head
Confirm the optics coatings are rated for that wavelength
Match eyewear optical density to wavelength and power
Record the wavelength on the equipment master in your ERP

Wavelength drives the process

Absorption depends strongly on wavelength. Metals absorb near-infrared light at 1 um reasonably well and absorb 10.6 um CO2 light poorly until the surface is hot, while many plastics, wood, glass and paper absorb CO2 energy well. Shorter UV wavelengths such as 355 nm permit smaller focal spots and cold ablation, which is why they dominate fine marking and micromachining. Copper absorbs green and blue far better than infrared.

Frequency conversion and pumping

Many production lasers are built from others. A 1064 nm Nd:YAG or Nd:YVO4 laser can be frequency doubled to 532 nm or tripled to 355 nm using nonlinear crystals, at some efficiency cost. High-power GaAs diodes at 808 to 976 nm do not usually process material directly. They pump the gain medium of fiber, disk and rod lasers, which in turn delivers the beam you use on the part.

Common mistakes

Do not assume a laser is safe because a different one of the same class was. Eyewear for 1064 nm does not protect against 532 nm or 10.6 um unless rated for it. Do not reuse a lens, window or mirror outside its rated band. Missing wavelength data on the asset record is a frequent cause of wrong spare parts being ordered, so capture wavelength and power on every laser asset in maintenance planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What wavelength is a fiber laser?

Most industrial ytterbium fiber lasers emit around 1030 to 1080 nm, commonly quoted as 1064 nm or about 1070 nm. Erbium fiber lasers emit near 1550 nm and thulium fiber lasers near 1900 to 2050 nm. The exact line depends on the doping and vendor design.

Why is CO2 laser light at 10.6 um good for non-metals?

Most organic materials, glass, ceramics and plastics absorb strongly in the long-wave infrared, so CO2 energy couples efficiently into them. Bare metals reflect much of 10.6 um light at room temperature, which is why metal cutting with CO2 relies on assist gas and high power.

Is 1550 nm laser light eye safe?

It is often described as eye-safer because the cornea and lens absorb most of the energy before it reaches the retina, so the permitted exposure is much higher than at 1064 nm. It is not harmless: high power can still burn the cornea and skin, and classification still applies.

Can I use the same lens for 1064 nm and 532 nm?

Only if its coating is rated for both. A coating designed for 1064 nm can reflect a large share of 532 nm light or even absorb it, creating heat damage. Check the coating spec, and use dual-band or broadband coatings where both lines are needed.

If laser equipment, spares and calibration records sit in your ERP or maintenance system, we can help build a private assistant that answers wavelength and spare-part questions from that data. Ask us what it would take on your system.

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