Laserful - Passion and information on lasers

Astrophysical Lasers

Yan — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:34:59 +0000

Progress in modern radio astronomy led to the discovery of space masers in the microwave range, and it became a powerful tool for studies of interstellar star-forming molecular clouds. Progress in observational astronomy, particularly with ground-based huge telescopes and the space-based Hubble Space Telescope, has led to recent discoveries of space lasers in the optical range. These operate in gas condensations in the vicinity of the mysterious star Eta Carinae (one of the most luminous and massive stars of our Galaxy). Both maser and laser effects, first demonstrated under laboratory conditions, have now been discovered to occur under natural conditions in space, too. This book describes consistently the elements of laser science, astrophysical plasmas, modern astronomical observation techniques, and the fundamentals and properties of astrophysical lasers. A book with such an interdisciplinary scope has not been available to date. The book will also be useful for a wider audience interested in modern developments of the natural sciences and technology.

Virtual Journal of Laser

Yan — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:11:17 +0000

Virtual Journal of Laser is a web tool to help laser researchers follow publications from major academic journals. It automatically aggregate updates from Physics or Optics journals. Only abstracts of articles that are directly related to laser are imported into the system. By voting, commenting and simply visiting, interesting papers will be promoted and become more visible and easy to find.

It has been rebuilt, now one can vote on papers to promote them. It can sort popularity of papers with an algorithm similar to "radioactivity". I use it for checking new papersr and see what other people are interested in.

ultrafast laser makes light bulbs more efficient

Yan — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:29:55 +0000

Chunlei Guo, an associate professor of optics at the University of Rochester, had use ultrafast laser to turn any metal pitch black. Now he has successfuly demonstrate a reverse process, make metal radiate light more effectively!

An ultra-powerful laser can turn regular incandescent light bulbs into power-sippers, say optics researchers at the University of Rochester. The process could make a light as bright as a 100-watt bulb consume less electricity than a 60-watt bulb while remaining far cheaper and radiating a more pleasant light than a fluorescent bulb can.

The laser process creates a unique array of nano- and micro-scale structures on the surface of a regular tungsten filament—the tiny wire inside a light bulb—and theses structures make the tungsten become far more effective at radiating light.

The findings will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.

400 W average power femtosecond laser

Yan — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:23:47 +0000

As reported by Optics.org, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) in Aachen, Germany, will unveil a femtosecond laser of a world-beating power output of 400 W at LASER World of Photonics in Munich, Germany, next month.

That's a monumental improvement on most commercial femtosecond lasers, which produce an average output power around the single-watt level, while even high-end models are limited to the 50-100 W range.

"The Fraunhofer ILT is introducing a paradigm shift in the design of commercial femtosecond lasers," claimed Axel Bauer, head of the institute's marketing and communications group. "Our laser module holds the world record for average output power among lasers with pulse durations of less than one picosecond."

NIF openning ceremony today

Yan — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:58:05 +0000

Scientists for decades have been hunting for ways to harness the enormous force of the sun and stars to supply energy here on Earth. The National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory may spark the light at the end of the tunnel.

An openning ceramony of the facility is held today. via: UC

target laser attackers

Yan — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:15:42 +0000

Laser targeting aircraft and helicopters has become a serious issue in last few years. Now polices in UK start equipping hand-held Laser Event Recorders (LER) to locate attackers.

Officers are now using hand-held Laser Event Recorders (LER) to gather evidence when they are "attacked" from the ground. The LER is held up to the helicopter's window when the laser is first spotted.

The device, first adopted by the US Air Force, is a sophisticated digital camera which can detect laser radiation and take a picture of the attack.

It can also warn the police if the laser is powerful enough or close enough to cause physical damage to the eyes. There is a GPS receiver to record the location of the helicopter when attacked.

watch the video report:

Boeing's airborne laser program might be cut

Yan — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:08:02 +0000

...... Mr. Gates said he would cut from programs for defense against missiles, including halting the increase in the numbers of defensive missiles deployed in Alaska. Defense experts were also expecting that Boeing’s airborne laser system, which would equip a modified 747 jetliner with a laser to shoot down missiles, might be killed.......

via Gates Budget Plan Reshapes Pentagon’s Priorities - NYTimes.com.

Department of Energy Announces Completion of NIF

Yan — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:29:55 +0000

It has been reported that construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) was ready earlier this year. Now its completion is offically certificated by Department of Energy.

The Department of Energy today announced that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has certified the completion of the historic effort to build the world’s largest laser. Housed at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is expected to allow scientists to achieve fusion ignition in the laboratory, obtaining more energy from the target than is provided by the laser. The completion of NIF opens the door to scientific advancement and discovery that promises to enhance our national security, could help break America’s dependence on foreign oil, and will lead to new breakthroughs in the worlds of astrophysics, materials science and many other scientific disciplines.

......

read more

HERCULES Petawatt Laser

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:22:01 +0000

Engineering TV visited The Center for Ultrafast Optical Science at the University of Michigan to take a closer look at HERCULES, a high-field petawatt class laser. The beam measures 20 billion trillion watts per square centimeter, contains 300 terawatts of power (300 times the capacity of the entire U.S. electricity grid), and is capable of producing this intense beam once every 10 seconds. Applications include optical communications at the terabit level, studies involving the behavior of electrons in quantum structures, and biomedical fields such as eye surgery , subcellular "nanomachining", and in vivo sensing (for example in vivo cytometry of circulating cancer cells). The National Science Foundation through the Physics Frontier Center FOCUS supports the development and construction of this laser.

Laser Avenger uses IPG lasers

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:18:25 +0000

During tests last month at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Laser Avenger achieved its principal test objectives by using its advanced targeting system to acquire and track three small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying against a complex background of mountains and desert. The laser system also shot down one of the UAVs from an operationally relevant range. These tests mark the first time a combat vehicle has used a laser to shoot down a UAV, and was enabled by IPG Photonics' GaAs diode-based laser systems. Credit: Boeing. via: IOP