Lasers as Light Sources in Spectroscopy

It is already a fact that lasers are replacing conventional lamps in a great variety of spectroscopic applications. The origin of this substitution lies in their superior performance over incoherent light in many experimental situations. Many spectroscopic experiments have been improved, and moreover new techniques have been developed due to the particular advantages provided by lasers. The characteristics of laser radiation on their own constitute real advantages and justify their widespread use in many applications. 

Let us mention some of those characteristic features and give some examples of their influence in the field of spectroscopy  

Laser radiation can be obtained nowadays over a wide spectral range from the ultraviolet to the far infrared region, covering the range of optical spectroscopy. Fignre 2.4 shows schematically the spectral zones covered by different types of lasers. Although there are some specific regions in which direct laser action is not available. 

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