Lasing action in copper vapor was first demonstrated in 1966.

The first commercial copper vapor lasers appeared around 1980.

This laser was attractive because of its relative high efficiency (up to 1%) for lasers in the visible spectrum range, and the high pulse power achieved.

Copper Vapor Laser Structure

Copper vapor laser is a gas laser, build as a tube with windows at both ends.

The tube is filled with an inert gas and a small quantity of pure copper.

In order to have copper vapor, the metal needs to be at very high temperatures, so the tube is build from Alumina or Zirkonia, which are high temperature resistant materials.

The tube diameter is 10-80 [mm], and it contain Neon gas at a pressure of 25-50 [Torr].