What is The Connection Between Lasers And Rare Earth Elements?
Rare earth materials are the heart of laser application systems and the foundation of laser technology. This connection has led to the widespread adoption of laser technologies in military, communications, medical material processing, information storage, scientific research, testing, and anti-counterfeiting fields, bringing laser technology into many aspects of modern production and daily life. With the rapid development of laser technology, the application of rare earth elements, often referred to as “industrial vitamins,” in the field of laser technology will become even more integrated.
The laser in a fiber laser marking machine uses rare-earth elements as the gain medium. Therefore, under the action of pump light, a high power density is easily formed within the fiber, causing a “population inversion” in the laser energy level of the laser working medium. By appropriately adding a positive feedback loop (forming a resonant cavity), laser oscillation output can be achieved. It features good beam quality, small size, high speed, long service life, flexible and convenient installation, and maintenance-free operation. It also boasts stable performance, compact size, low power consumption, and requires no high voltage or a large water-cooling system (only about 300W). The beam quality is high, approaching that of an ideal beam. It can perform fine marking of graphics and text in numerous fields, including integrated circuit chips, computer accessories, industrial bearings, watches, electronic and communication products, aerospace components, various automotive parts, home appliances, hardware tools, molds, wires and cables, food packaging, jewelry, tobacco, and military applications. Furthermore, it can be used for large-scale production line operations.
Rare-earth glass laser materials have fewer rare-earth activating ions that can generate lasers in glass than in crystals. Currently known rare-earth ions include trivalent ions such as Nd, Er, Ho, and Tm. The advantages of rare-earth glass laser materials are: ease of fabrication; glass of various sizes and shapes can be produced using thermoforming and cold working processes; greater flexibility than crystals; and the ability to be drawn into fibers with diameters as small as micrometers, as well as rods or disks with diameters of several centimeters and lengths of several meters. Rare-earth glass is currently the solid-state laser material with the highest output pulse energy and power. Large lasers made from this material are used in thermonuclear fusion research.
Laser cutting is the most widely used technology for lasers in materials processing. Lasers can cut various materials, such as metals, non-metals, and organic materials. Ytterbium-doped fiber lasers with a wavelength of 1070 nm are ideal light sources for laser cutting. Some advantages of fiber lasers in cutting include operating wavelength, kilowatts of power, good beam quality, a wide effective power range, power stability, and a small spot size. Examples of fiber laser pulse modulation cutting include cardiovascular stent cutting, solar panel silicon wafer cutting, and mold cutting. High-power multimode lasers are commonly used for continuous cutting of thin and thick plates. Due to the large depth of field and small spot size, the kerf formed when cutting thick metals is small and the cut wall is straight. Common applications of high-power multimode lasers include 3D cutting of automotive body parts, such as hydroformed pipes and high-temperature steel; rivet hole cutting of aluminum and titanium alloys in the aerospace field; and thick steel plate cutting in the shipbuilding and steel industries.
Rare earth elements, due to their wide range of uses and scarcity, have attracted significant international attention, with various countries enacting laws and regulations for stockpiling and protection. In February 2015, the Xiamen Pan-Asia Commodity Exchange was established, with dysprosium, terbium, and neodymium as its first listed commodities. The Pan-Asia Group is committed to participating in the stockpiling of rare metals through innovative models and platform advantages, providing strong support and supplementation to national stockpiling efforts.