List of lasers

Many thousands of different kinds of laser are known, although most of these are not used beyond specialised research. The following is a list of common lasers, their operational wavelengths, and their applications.

Laser gain medium and type Operation wavelength(s) Pump source Applications and notes
Helium-neon (Helium-neon laser>HeNe) gas laser 632.8 nm (543.5 nm, 594 nm, 612 nm, 1.423 μm) Electrical discharge Interferometry, holography, spectroscopy, barcode scanning, alignment, optical demonstrations.
Argon ion gas laser 488.0 nm, 514.5 nm, (351 nm, 465.8 nm, 472.7 nm, 528.7 nm) Electrical discharge Retinal phototherapy (for diabetes), lithography, pumping other lasers.
Carbon dioxide gas laser 10.6 μm, (9.4 μm) Transverse electrical discharge Material processing (cutting, welding, etc.), surgery.
Excimer chemical lasers 193 nm (ArF), 248 nm (KrF), 308 nm (XeCl), 353 nm (XeF) Excimer recombination via electrical discharge Ultraviolet lithography for semiconductor manufacturing, laser surgery, LASIK.
Dye lasers 390-435 nm (Stilbene), 460-515 nm (Coumarin 102), 570-640 nm (Rhodamine 6G), many others Other laser, flashlamp Research, spectroscopy, birthmark removal, isotope separation. The tuning range of the laser depends on the exact dye used.
Ruby solid-state laser 694.3 nm Flashlamp Holography, tattoo removal. The first type of laser invented, in 1960.
Neodymium YAG () solid-state laser 1.064 μm, (1.32 μm) Flashlamp, laser diode frequency doubling). One of the most common high power lasers. Usually pulsed (down to fractions of a nanosecond)
Neodymium YLF (Nd:YLF) solid-state laser 1.054 μm Flashlamp, laser diode frequency doubling.
Neodymium YVO (Nd:YVO) solid-state laser 1.054 μm laser diode mode-locked Ti:sapphire lasers, in combination with frequency doubling.
Titanium sapphire () solid-state laser 660-1100 nm Other laser LIDAR, research. This material is often used in highly-tunable modelocking>mode-locked infrared lasers to produce ultra-short pulses and in amplifier lasers to produce ultra-short and ultra-intense pulses.
Holmium YAG (Ho:YAG) solid-state laser 2.1 μm Laser diode Tissue ablation, kidney stone removal, dentistry.
Erbium doped fibre laser 1.53-1.56 μm Laser diode Optical amplifier for telecommunications over optical fibre.
Semiconductor laser diode wavelength depends on device material: 0.4 μm (GaN) or 0.63-1.55 μm (AlGaAs) or 3-20 μm (lead salt) Electrical current Telecommunications, holography, laser pointers, laser printer>printing, pump sources for other lasers. The 780 nm AlGaAs laser diode, used in compact disc players, is the most common type of laser in the world.

Laser gain medium and type	Operation wavelength(s)	Pump source	Applications and notes
Helium-neon (Helium-neon laser>HeNe) gas laser	632.8 nm (543.5 nm, 594 nm, 612 nm, 1.423 μm)	Electrical discharge	Interferometry, holography, spectroscopy, barcode scanning, alignment, optical demonstrations.
Argon ion gas laser	488.0 nm, 514.5 nm, (351 nm, 465.8 nm, 472.7 nm, 528.7 nm)	Electrical discharge	Retinal phototherapy (for diabetes), lithography, pumping other lasers.
Carbon dioxide gas laser	10.6 μm, (9.4 μm)	Transverse electrical discharge	Material processing (cutting, welding, etc.), surgery.
Excimer chemical lasers	193 nm (ArF), 248 nm (KrF), 308 nm (XeCl), 353 nm (XeF)	Excimer recombination via electrical discharge	Ultraviolet lithography for semiconductor manufacturing, laser surgery, LASIK.
Dye lasers	390-435 nm (Stilbene), 460-515 nm (Coumarin 102), 570-640 nm (Rhodamine 6G), many others	Other laser, flashlamp	Research, spectroscopy, birthmark removal, isotope separation. The tuning range of the laser depends on the exact dye used.
Ruby solid-state laser	694.3 nm	Flashlamp	Holography, tattoo removal. The first type of laser invented, in 1960.
Neodymium YAG () solid-state laser	1.064 μm, (1.32 μm)	Flashlamp, laser diode	frequency doubling). One of the most common high power lasers. Usually pulsed (down to fractions of a nanosecond)
Neodymium YLF (Nd:YLF) solid-state laser	1.054 μm	Flashlamp, laser diode	frequency doubling.
Neodymium YVO (Nd:YVO) solid-state laser	1.054 μm	laser diode	mode-locked Ti:sapphire lasers, in combination with frequency doubling.
Titanium sapphire () solid-state laser	660-1100 nm	Other laser	LIDAR, research. This material is often used in highly-tunable modelocking>mode-locked infrared lasers to produce ultra-short pulses and in amplifier lasers to produce ultra-short and ultra-intense pulses.
Holmium YAG (Ho:YAG) solid-state laser	2.1 μm	Laser diode	Tissue ablation, kidney stone removal, dentistry.
Erbium doped fibre laser	1.53-1.56 μm	Laser diode	Optical amplifier for telecommunications over optical fibre.
Semiconductor laser diode	wavelength depends on device material: 0.4 μm (GaN) or 0.63-1.55 μm (AlGaAs) or 3-20 μm (lead salt)	Electrical current	Telecommunications, holography, laser pointers, laser printer>printing, pump sources for other lasers. The 780 nm AlGaAs laser diode, used in compact disc players, is the most common type of laser in the world.