Is the laser perfect monochromatic light source?

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SUMMARY

Lasers are the best approximation of a monochromatic light source, with laboratory settings achieving linewidths as low as 1 Hz for visible light. However, no light source can be considered perfect; a truly perfect monochromatic source would be unable to switch on or off. Typical commercial lasers, such as Helium-Neon (He-Ne) and Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG), exhibit linewidths ranging from kilohertz to gigahertz, while laser diodes can reach linewidths up to a nanometer.

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  • Understanding of laser technology and its applications
  • Familiarity with linewidth measurement techniques
  • Knowledge of different types of lasers, including He-Ne and Nd:YAG
  • Basic principles of monochromatic light sources
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  • Explore the differences between He-Ne and Nd:YAG lasers
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DevendraC
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Is the laser perfect monochromatic light source?
 
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Nothing is perfect, but lasers are the best approximation we have - their line width can be below 1 Hz for visible light.

A perfect monochromatic light source could not be switched on/off ;).
 
Typical commercial lasers have linewidths ranging from kHz-GHz (He-Ne and Nd:YAG) up to a nm (laser diodes). In the lab setting, laser linewidths can go as low as 1Hz, but AFAIK that's approaching a fundamental limit.
 

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