Physics Revisited: A powerful laser in the making

You may have tried to burn the paper by concentrating the light focused at a single point using a magnifying glass. Now technology has advanced up that within a few seconds as the data given to a machine can design and cut your metal piece with the help of a unique device. This device is none other than LASER itself. The laser has many uses in day to day life like bar-code reading, laser cutting, laser welding, and whatnot. Usage also includes surgeries, and even the data to read this post is sent through a fiber optic cable using laser technology.

A laser metal cutting machine on a piece of metal to shape according to a design.

A laser is a device that can focus by emitting a beam of a consistent source of light using the amplification process. Various types of lasers found include gas lasers, fiber lasers, diode laser, and much more. A laser requires three prime factors, generally consisting of a pump or the vital source of energy along with the medium to travel and a resonator using two or more mirrors. We even observe the phenomenon known as the total internal reflection or TIR.

The laser invention won the most prestigious science honor, the Nobel prize in 1964, and again in 2018 for the optical tweezers. These tweezers can be so sturdy that it can make changes in a single atom too. Okay, you may have been a fan of Star Wars movie if you like, they demonstrate the use of lasers, especially the blasters. But, they’re not lasers; indeed, they’re plasma light in the movie.

Fiber optic cables used in networking.

One of the Nobel laureates along with the researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences have built up a new technology to produce even more powerful laser. The power output from the more modern methodology can give up to 10 ^ 23 Watts by decreasing the duration of the pulse just to some femtoseconds. This method can cut down the operating costs; this study has grabbed attention and gained financial support from various institutions in Canada and Russia.

To generate a pulse for a short span, the researchers need a deep dive into the effects of non-linear optics. Still even at the limits of 10 femtoseconds pulse, with the energy of 3 joules, the intensity peaked up to 300 terawatts. Now with a further intention with 13 joules, a target of 3 petawatts is planned within five femtoseconds.

Laser treatment done on a lady as a procedure for a therapy.

The lasers have been so widespread that we see it for hair removal, too, where the hair follicles get treated. The laser is also found in your laptop or your computer if it has an optical disc drive. The data on the disc read by using a laser when it falls on the lands and pits present on the surface to convert them into electrical signal sequences. The laser has been extensively used in the field of defense too. There are handheld laser pointers available, but make sure that it is legal in your country to own one or may land up into jail. Be careful with laser pointers and use them effectively if you own one of them.