CO2 and CO Gas Lasers for Demanding Applications

Did You Know?

The first CO2 laser was developed by Kumar Patel of Bell Labs in 1965. Carbon Dioxide lasers provide the highest-power output in continuous wave operation currently available. They find applications in material processing such as cutting, engraving, welding, drilling, marking, laser surgery, LIDARs, etc. CO2 lasers typically emit at a wavelength of 10.6 μm, but there are other lines in the region of 9–11 μm. The lasing medium consists of CO2, Helium and Nitrogen, typically in the ratio of 1:1:8. CO2 lasers have a relatively low cost in relation to power capabilities, often less than $100 per watt.

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Frequently Asked Questions

CO₂ and CO gas lasers are molecular gas lasers in which an electrical discharge excites vibrational-rotational transitions of CO₂ or CO molecules, producing coherent mid-IR radiation. CO₂ lasers typically emit around 10.6 µm (and adjacent lines), whereas CO lasers operate mainly between ~5–8 µm. The active medium is usually a gas mixture (e.g., CO₂/N₂/He or CO/He) enclosed in a resonant cavity, with RF or DC excitation providing population inversion.

CO2 and CO Gas Lasers Overview

CO2 and CO gas lasers are molecular gas lasers emitting primarily in the mid-IR region. CO2 lasers typically operate around 9–11 μm, while CO lasers cover roughly 5–6 μm, with line-tunable operation depending on the vibrational-rotational transition. On FindLight you will find sealed, flowing gas, RF-excited, and DC-excited CO2 and CO sources configured for OEM integration or laboratory use.

Typical Specifications of CO2 and CO Sources

Products in CO2 and CO categories span a wide power range from a few watts for alignment and laboratory systems to multi-hundred-watt continuous-wave units for cutting and drilling. Pulse formats include CW, pulsed, and Q-switched operation with pulse durations from microseconds down to the nanosecond regime for some CO2 and CO designs.

Beam quality is often characterized by M² values, with many CO2 and CO lasers delivering near-diffraction-limited beams suitable for tight focusing. Cooling methods include air-cooled benchtop modules up to several tens of watts and water-cooled industrial heads for higher average powers. Electrical input can be single-phase or three-phase depending on output power. Many CO2 and CO sources offer TTL or analog modulation, external triggering, and RS-232/RS-485 or Ethernet control interfaces for system integration.

Applications of CO2 and CO Lasers

CO2 and CO lasers are widely used for materials processing (cutting, engraving, drilling, and surface treatment of polymers, glass, ceramics, wood, and thin metals), medical and dental procedures, and IR spectroscopy. CO2 and CO systems also support gas sensing, LIDAR-like rangefinding at mid-IR wavelengths, and nonlinear optics pumping where specific IR lines are required.

Buyer Guidance on FindLight

When selecting among CO2 and CO products, start by defining wavelength band, output power, and operation mode (CW vs pulsed) for your process or experiment. Compare beam quality, polarization, stability, and pointing specifications, as well as cooling and footprint constraints for your lab or production line.

Use FindLight to filter and compare CO2 and CO laser specifications across multiple manufacturers. Review detailed datasheets, then request quotes directly from suppliers without registration. This allows procurement engineers and researchers to rapidly benchmark competing CO2 and CO solutions and select the most appropriate light source for their system design.