Researchers aim to improve laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for detecting trace amounts of substances of interest to Homeland Security. The project seeks to develop a more sensitive emission process, enabling analysis at a distance with greater accuracy.
Kansas State University assistant professor Carlos Trallero has received two prestigious national awards for his research on quantum laws. He will use nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to buy a world-class femtosecond laser.
Researchers employed a high-powered laser to dramatically enhance electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, allowing for the study of tiny molecules at high resolution. This breakthrough will facilitate discoveries in fields such as new drug development and efficient plastic solar cells.
Researchers develop new silicon resonator for ultra-stable laser, enabling narrower optical absorption lines and better optical atomic clocks. The stability of the laser is critical for these applications.
A new laser-based system can propel tiny, precise streams of medicine into the skin with minimal force, potentially eliminating pain from injections. The device uses an erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser to create a vapor bubble that forces drug-laden jets into the targeted depth of the skin.
The new resonator creates purest, brightest and most powerful single-mode quantum cascade lasers in the 8-12 micron range, a wavelength of great interest for military and industrial use. The laser technology controls both wavelength and beam quality, achieving peak power over 6 watts with nearly diffraction-limited beam quality.
The BELLA laser system has delivered a petawatt of power in a pulse just 40 femtoseconds long at a pulse rate of one hertz, a world record for laser performance. This achievement enables the creation of compact particle accelerators and tabletop free electron lasers for investigating materials and biological systems.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have shown that pulsed-dye laser treatment improves burn scar appearance, texture, and elasticity. The study found significant improvements in redness, scar thickness, and biomechanical properties, with potential implications for further refining treatment options.
Researchers at HZDR demonstrate proton acceleration in the direction of the laser light, achieving unprecedented high energies. This breakthrough enables future cancer therapy applications with ultra-short pulse lasers.
Researchers estimate that ice may make up 22 percent of Shackleton crater's surface material using laser light from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The team discovered the crater's floor is brighter than nearby craters, indicating possible ice presence.
An international team of scientists has successfully created bright coherent x-ray radiation using a new method developed at the Vienna University of Technology. This breakthrough enables the production of high-energy x-rays with short wavelengths, making it suitable for various applications such as materials science and medicine.
The Office of Naval Research is developing a solid-state laser weapon prototype with multi-mission capabilities. The program aims to provide Sailors with a non-lethal defense against small boat threats and aerial targets.
Scientists have extended the trapped particles' useful life more than tenfold by using a refined technique for trapping and manipulating nanoparticles. The new approach, which involves a control and feedback system that nudges the nanoparticle only when needed, increases the lifetime of the particle while reducing its tendency to wander.
A new prototype technology demonstrates all three primary laser colors coming from one material. This breakthrough could lead to making products such as high-performance digital displays that employ a variety of laser colors.
Researchers at INRS developed a new laser with unparalleled stability and precision, enabling new experiments and research opportunities. The laser's unique design allows for improved control of light sources, increasing stability and resistance to external disruptions.
Researchers at Vienna University of Technology and other institutions discovered that coupling two micro-lasers can lead to a total shutdown of light emission, defying the expectation that more energy would increase brightness
Researchers develop a small, flexible endoscopic device with a femtosecond laser 'scalpel' that removes diseased tissue while leaving healthy cells untouched. The device boosts imaging resolution by 20% and is five times smaller than the team's first prototype.
The new laser design relies on a million rubidium atoms doing synchronized line dances to produce dim but brighter laser light. The superradiant laser's stability is less sensitive to mirror motion, making it potentially 1,000-fold more stable than conventional lasers.
Researchers successfully redirect an electrical discharge from its intended target to a normally less-attractive electrode using a virtual lightning rod created with femtosecond pulses of laser light. This feat demonstrates the potential of using laser-based lightning rods for research and protection.
Researchers at Harvard University have developed a new method to create three-dimensional patterns of silver dots using a femtosecond laser. This technique advances nanoscale metal lithography and enables the creation of bulk metamaterials with unique optical properties.
LAMIS, a green chemistry alternative for laser spectroscopy, can precisely date the geological age of Martian samples. By analyzing molecular isotopes, LAMIS offers a faster and less expensive method compared to traditional mass spectrometry technologies.
A team of UC San Diego researchers created the smallest room-temperature nanolaser to date, as well as a highly efficient, thresholdless laser that funnels all its photons into lasing without waste. These breakthroughs could enable the development of future optical circuits packed onto tiny computer chips.
Researchers created an atomic X-ray laser by removing electrons from neon gas atoms, creating a 'domino effect' that amplified the laser light. The new technology fulfills a 45-year-old prediction and could lead to breakthroughs in medicine, devices, and materials.
Scientists at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created a 2-million-degree piece of matter using the world's most powerful X-ray laser. This achievement takes them a significant step forward in understanding extreme matter found in stars and giant planets, potentially leading to advancements in nuclear fusion research.
Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, enabling ultrafast reactions to be seen in detail. This achievement fulfills a 1967 prediction and opens doors for new scientific discoveries.
Ultrafast laser pulses create precise patterns in metals and ceramics, but new research reveals an early plasma forms immediately before the mushroom cloud, hindering performance. Eliminating this interference could unlock new applications in manufacturing, materials science, and more.
Physicists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf develop new theoretical model for predicting hot electron density and temperature after laser interaction. This allows precise calculation of hot electron energy, enabling optimization of future experiments and medical applications.
A retrospective case series review found that carbon dioxide laser ablation had lower recurrence rates compared to radiation therapy, with minimal morbidity. The treatment option is particularly advantageous for large lesions in cosmetically sensitive regions of the head and neck.
Researchers at NIST have developed a compact laser frequency comb, the first to use a cavity made of fused silica. The micro-comb is about the size of a shoebox and relies on a low-power laser and the cavity's unusual properties. It has wide spacing between teeth, allowing scientists to easily measure and manipulate them.
Studies by Dr. Culbertson and Dr. Packer confirm the advantages of laser cataract surgery, including reduced ultrasound energy use and protection of corneal endothelial cells. Laser pre-treatment may lead to safer and faster surgery with improved vision outcomes.
A Purdue University and NIST team developed a microring resonator that converts continuous laser light into numerous ultrashort pulses, enabling applications in advanced sensors, communications systems, and laboratory instruments. The device uses nonlinear interaction to generate frequencies with equal spacing.
A recent study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology found that laser lead extraction is as safe in people aged 80 or older as it is in younger patients. The study, which analyzed 506 patients, found no significant differences in infection rates, complications, or other health outcomes between the two groups.
A study by Imperial College London found that foam therapy is over four times more cost-effective and quicker than laser treatment for varicose veins. Foam therapy allows patients to resume normal activity sooner and causes less pain.
A new laser technology has been developed by Michigan State University researchers to detect roadside bombs with high sensitivity and selectivity. The laser can canvas large areas and distinguish between explosives and similar compounds, making it a potential game-changer for detecting improvised explosive devices.
A team of researchers has proposed a method to harness parabolic mirrors to drive solar-powered lasers, achieving an impressive 35% conversion rate. The new solar lasers would concentrate light with a small parabolic mirror, strike a ceramic disk, and emit laser light of a specific wavelength.
Researchers from Max Planck Society and Leibniz University Hannover have successfully applied the 'squeezed light' method to improve the sensitivity of the GEO600 gravitational wave detector. This new technology reduces shot noise by a factor of two, allowing for more accurate measurements of tiny changes in space-time.
Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in femtosecond laser writing, enabling the creation of new optical materials and devices. Key findings include the importance of temperature in material structuring and the potential for precise control of induced birefringence.
Researchers achieve stable, high-energy electron beams by controlling wave velocity and intensity using a two-stage process. This innovation enables compact, cost-effective colliders for fundamental physics and new ultrafast light sources.
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found flexible-fiber CO2 lasers to be safe and effective in endoscopic assisted transsphenoidal craniotomies, with low complication rates. The study demonstrated the utility of this technology for treating pituitary tumors and other sellar lesions.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital developed a living laser device using a single GFP-expressing cell, which can produce hundreds of pulses of laser light. The cellular device refocuses the light and induces emission of laser light at lower energy levels than required for solution-based devices.
Researchers at UCL have demonstrated the first electrically driven quantum dot laser grown directly on a silicon substrate with a suitable wavelength for telecommunications. This breakthrough enables efficient light sources in silicon, a crucial material for future silicon photonics.
A new study found that frequent communication through letters and emails with spouses during deployment can protect against PTSD symptoms in happily married soldiers. However, this benefit only applies to soldiers with higher levels of marital satisfaction.
Physicists at the University of Michigan have successfully created 3D arrays of optically induced crystals using laser beams. The technique allows for the formation of crystalline structures without the need for X-ray crystallography, which is commonly used to analyze biological molecules.
Physicists at NIST have demonstrated a super-stable laser operating in a minivan, showing its potential for field use in geodesy, hydrology and space-based physics experiments. The laser was tested with the vehicle stationary and moving at speeds of less than 1 meter per second, remaining stable enough for some applications.
Scientists from North Carolina State University have created a device that enables precise steering of laser beams without moving anything. The technology uses polarization gratings to redirect light and has various potential applications, including free space communication and LIDAR.
Researchers have developed a new laser system that can ignite engine air-fuel mixtures more efficiently than traditional spark plugs. The laser system is made from ceramics and promises less pollution and greater fuel economy, but further testing is needed to make it commercially viable.
Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have developed a new laser technology that can transmit data through open space, enabling high-speed free space communications. The technology uses frequency modulation to reduce environmental interference and achieve speeds of up to 100 GHz.
Researchers used laser light to force cancer cells to take in chemotherapy drugs and fluorescent dyes, creating a potential delivery system. The technique also allowed them to target anti-Alzheimer's medicines to the brain non-invasively.
Researchers use high harmonic generation method to study electronic correlations in xenon atoms, opening opportunities for investigating electron dynamics on the attosecond timescale. The new laser source developed at ALLS proves ideal for HHG from atoms and molecules, providing information on giant resonance of xenon.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new manufacturing method that employs an ultrafast pulsing laser to create high-quality microchannels in thin-film solar cells. This technique could significantly increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar cells, enabling widespread adoption.
The team built a functioning anti-laser called a coherent perfect absorber (CPA), which absorbs 99.4% of incoming light and could pave the way for novel technologies in optical computing and radiology.
Scientists have discovered an important insight into carbohydrate bonding, which could lead to improved medicines. The study reveals the shapes of carbohydrates when they are free from external influence and interacting with neighboring molecules.
Researchers use X-ray laser to determine 3D structures of proteins and capture single-shot images of viruses, paving the way for snapshots and movies of molecules and microbes in action. The technique has the potential to decipher tens of thousands of protein structures and study infectious diseases.
Researchers at Princeton University developed an air laser that can detect hidden bombs, pollutants, and greenhouse gases from afar. The new technique uses an ultraviolet laser pulse to generate an entirely new beam of light that interacts with molecules in the air, providing a powerful tool for remote measurements.
PNNL has developed power-delivery devices to improve trace gas analysis and create propylene glycol from renewable sources. The lab's IncubATRTM technology enables real-time monitoring of live cells, accelerating scientific discovery and reducing animal testing.
Researchers develop a microdroplet 3D laser system using cholesteric liquid crystals, producing the world's first practical three-dimensional laser. The design is small, tunable, cheap, and can be made by millions in seconds.
Researchers have developed a micromirror-based beam steering system that can precisely control individual atoms using tiny laser pulses. This technology has the potential to enable more efficient and accurate quantum computing applications.
A clinical study published in Science Translational Medicine shows the Catalys Precision Laser System significantly improves precision in cataract surgery, reducing risks and enhancing visual outcomes. The system's advanced optics and control software enable surgeons to perform critical steps with greater accuracy.
Scientists have observed relativistic transparency in plasma, allowing it to act as a fast optical switch. This phenomenon enables the flow of light through previously opaque material in less than a tenth of a picosecond.
Scientists have successfully created an optical analogue of Hawking radiation using a laser beam and glass target. This experiment confirms the theoretical predictions of Hawking radiation, which is emitted by black holes but difficult to detect.