Using air to deflect lasers
Using a novel method, beams of laser light can be deflected using air alone. An invisible grating made only of air is not only immune to damage from the laser light, but it also preserves the original quality of the beam, reports an interdisciplinary.....»»
Radiation should be able to deflect asteroids as large as 4 km across
Researchers blast silica with an intense X-ray burst, watch it evaporate. Enlarge / Sandia National Labs' Z machine in action. (credit: Randy Montoya) The old joke about the dinosaurs going extinct because they didn't ha.....»»
Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel after decades of debate
Now you can run your space laser or audio production without specialty patches. Enlarge / Cutting metal with lasers is hard, but even harder when you don't know the worst-case timings of your code. (credit: Getty Images).....»»
There are plenty of uses for powerful lasers in space. But where should we put them?
Is it time for space lasers yet? Almost......»»
Researchers discover highest second-harmonic generation response in deep-ultraviolet phosphate
In the field of nonlinear optics (NLO), deep-ultraviolet (DUV) NLO crystals have garnered attention due to their crucial role in all-solid-state lasers. With ongoing research, the demand for these DUV NLO crystals continues to grow......»»
Improved method for phonon lasers "locks" sound waves into a more stable and powerful state
Scientists have made a significant leap in developing lasers that use sound waves instead of light. These phonon lasers hold promise for advancements in medical imaging, deep-sea exploration, and other areas......»»
Lasers deliver powerful shocking punch in material experiments
Shock experiments are widely used to understand the mechanical and electronic properties of matter under extreme conditions, like planetary impacts by meteorites. However, after the shock occurs, a clear description of the post-shock thermal state an.....»»
"Squishy" lasers could reveal how tumors and babies grow
New "squishy" lasers could help solve the mystery of the biological forces that control the development of embryos and cancerous tumors......»»
Researchers think AI and lasers might help us talk to aliens
Humanity has been searching for extraterrestrial life for decades and trying to communicate with potentially advanced civilizations beyond the stars. So far, the SETI (search … The post Researchers think AI and lasers might help us talk to alie.....»»
Quantum information theorists shed light on entanglement, one of the spooky mysteries of quantum mechanics
The year 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of quantum mechanics. In the century since the field's inception, scientists and engineers have used quantum mechanics to create technologies such as lasers, MRI scanners and computer chips......»»
The New Gods of Weather Can Make Rain on Demand—or So They Want You to Believe
In a gold-trimmed command center on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, scientists are seeking to wring moisture from desert skies. But will all their extravagant cloud-seeding tech—planes that sprinkle nanomaterials, lasers that scramble the atmosphere—.....»»
New insights into the interaction of femtosecond lasers with living tissue
Nonlinear light microscopy has revolutionized our ability to observe and understand complex biological processes. However, light can also damage living matter. Yet, the mechanism behind the irreversible perturbation of cellular processes by intense l.....»»
Accelerated discovery research unveils 21 novel materials for advanced organic solid-state laser technology
Organic solid-state lasers (OSLs) hold immense promise for a wide range of applications due to their flexibility, color tunability, and efficiency. However, they are difficult to make, and with over 150,000 possible experiments required to conduct to.....»»
Scientists create an "optical conveyor belt" for quasiparticles
Using interference between two lasers, a research group led by scientists from RIKEN and NTT Research have created an "optical conveyor belt" that can move polaritons—a type of light-matter hybrid particle—in semiconductor-based microcavities. Th.....»»
Researchers "unzip" 2D materials with lasers
In a new paper published on May 1 in the journal Science Advances, researchers at Columbia Engineering used commercially available tabletop lasers to create tiny, atomically sharp nanostructures, or nanopatterns, in samples of a layered 2D material c.....»»
Two facilities team up for structural biology advances with X-ray free-electron lasers and exascale computing
Plans to unite the capabilities of two cutting-edge technological facilities promise to usher in a new era of dynamic structural biology. Through DOE's Integrated Research Infrastructure, or IRI, initiative, the facilities will complement each other'.....»»
Good vibrations: Low-energy lasers induce atomic excitation in semiconductor materials
Semiconductors are a cornerstone of next-generation technology, so a new method to excite atoms in semiconductor materials is likely to excite a broad range of researchers and industries as well......»»
Psyche spacecraft sends data back to Earth using lasers for the first time
NASA's experimental laser communication system, riding along with the Psyche spacecraft, has transmitted Psyche data from over 140 million miles away......»»
From tape measures to space lasers: Quantifying biomass of the world"s tallest forests
In this era of accelerating climate crisis, accounting for all aspects of Earth's carbon cycle is a crucial task. The magnitude of atmospheric carbon burden means trees and forests are limited but important instruments among a suite of mitigation opt.....»»
Designing a cost-effective X-ray free electron lasers facility
Many advances in structural science since the 1970s were made by probing materials with synchrotron radiation: that is, high energy X-rays generated through accelerating high-energy electrons. The latest generation of such sources, X-ray free electro.....»»
Team reports on ultrafast laser state active controlling based on anisotropic quasi-1D material
Tunable ultrafast lasers with adjustable parameters, such as wavelength, intensity, pulse width and laser states are desirable as next-generation intelligent light sources. Due to complex nonlinear effects within the ultrafast system, it is challengi.....»»