What Is The Difference Between QCW Laser, CW Laser And Pulse Laser?

The main difference between continuous Lasers, pulsed lasers and quasi-continuous (QCW) lasers is how they work and their applications. Although there are differences in output characteristics and application fields between continuous lasers, pulsed lasers and quasi-continuous (QCW) lasers, they all have wide applications in their respective fields and play an important role in scientific research and industrial production.

CW laser: CW is the abbreviation of "continuous wave", that is, continuous wave laser. It achieves laser output through continuous excitation energy, which means that the laser remains on until it stops. CW lasers usually have lower peak power and higher average power. Continuous lasers are lasers that can emit light continuously and uninterrupted. They are collectively referred to as continuous lasers. Generally, common metal cutting and copper and aluminum welding are continuous lasers, which are the most widely used. QCW lasers mainly apply a technology called Q-switching. Q-switching is an effective method to obtain high-energy short pulses. It compresses the general output continuous laser into extremely narrow pulses and emits them, thereby increasing the peak value of the light source. A technology that increases power by several orders of magnitude. During the Q-switching process, before the gain medium stores enough energy, the entire laser resonant cavity maintains a high cavity loss. At this time, the laser threshold is too high and cannot produce laser oscillation, so that the number of upper energy level particles can accumulate in large quantities. , when accumulated to the saturation value, the cavity loss quickly reduces to a very small value, so in a short period of time most of the energy stored in the upper-level particles is converted into laser energy, producing a strong laser pulse output at the output end.

QCW laser is the abbreviation of "quasi-continuous wave", which is a quasi-continuous wave laser. The energy distribution of QCW is more concentrated, which means that QCW has a greater energy density (stronger penetrating ability) than the continuous laser. This is reflected in the metallography, which means it has greater penetration depth and the resulting metallographic image is similar. Nails, large depth-to-width ratio QCW's high peak laser power and high energy density give QCW great advantages in high-reaction alloys, heat-sensitive materials, and micro-connections.

Pulse laser outputs laser energy in the form of pulses, and its laser energy is concentrated and released in a very short period of time. Although the pulse instantaneous power of pulsed lasers is very high, the average power of pulsed lasers is relatively low due to the short output time. However, due to high peak power over a short period of time, pulsed lasers exhibit greater penetration and accuracy in some specific applications. Pulsed lasers are suitable for applications requiring high peak power and fast response times, such as lidar, laser micromachining, and medical lasers.

1. Different application fields: Continuous fiber lasers can be single-mode or multi-mode. Single-mode lasers produce high-quality beams that can be used in materials or atmospheric transmission, while multi-mode industrial lasers have high power.

Pulse lasers have large output power and are suitable for laser marking, cutting, ranging, etc. Lasers that work in pulse mode are pulse lasers. Common pulse lasers: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser, ruby laser, neodymium glass laser, etc. in solid lasers. There are also nitrogen molecular lasers, excimer lasers, etc.

2. Different working methods:
The quasi-continuous laser generates pulses of the order of ms with a duty cycle of 10%. The repetition frequency can be modulated up to 500Hz depending on the pulse width. The working mode of pulse laser refers to the way that it only works once every certain time interval.

Continuous means continuous output, and quasi-continuous means pulse output, but the pulse duty cycle is relatively large.

3. Different output powers:
Continuous laser means that the output laser is continuous without interruption and the output power remains unchanged.

Quasi-continuous generally refers to loading a modulation circuit on the circuit of a continuous laser to control the switch. The output peak power is the peak power of the continuous state.

Pulse lasers compress the laser energy into a very narrow period of time and output it, and the peak power will be relatively high.

Pulse lasers can be used for marking, cutting, ranging, nuclear fusion, etc.;
Continuous lasers can be used for cutting, welding, cladding, etc.;
QCW quasi-continuous lasers are mostly used for drilling.

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