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Breaking barriers with nanoscale lasers

Researchers at Arizona State University and Technical University of Eindhoven have made a breakthrough in creating nanoscale lasers, which can improve computer performance and speed up Internet access. The new design uses a combination of semiconductors and metals to confine light and achieve a laser with the smallest thickness ever pr...

SourceArizona State University·JournalOptics Express·DateJul 28, 2009

Tiny lasers get a notch up

Researchers discovered that adding a small notch to the disk edge provides a single outlet for laser light to stream out, increasing the speed of computers and telecommunication networks. The optimal geometry and boundary pumping parameters can aid in designing better-collimated microlasers.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Letters·DateJan 22, 2009

New mid-infrared lasers show doubled efficiency

Researchers have doubled the efficiency of infrared lasers in the mid-infrared wavelength range, which could enable next-generation laser-based defense systems and commercial applications like trace chemical analysis and pollution monitoring. The advancements were achieved through improvements to material quality, design, and fabrication.

See what you're spewing as you speed along

Researchers have developed a laser-based device to measure carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane emissions directly from vehicle exhausts. This technology has the potential to monitor emissions in real-time, enabling drivers to adjust their driving style and reduce pollution.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalApplied Optics·DateAug 5, 2007

Electronic 'crowd behavior' revealed in semiconductors

Researchers at JILA discovered a previously unseen type of collective electronic behavior in semiconductors, shedding light on interactions between microscopic particles. The study used ultrafast lasers to analyze the phase shift of light, confirming the importance of collective exciton behavior and its superiority over simpler models.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 6, 2007

UCSB researchers, led by Shuji Nakamura, achieve major breakthrough in laser diode development

Researchers at UCSB's Solid State Lighting and Display Center have achieved lasing operation in nonpolar gallium nitride semiconductors, demonstrating the world's first nonpolar blue-violet laser diodes. These devices have numerous commercial applications, including high-density optical data storage for high definition displays and video.

Harvard University engineers demonstrate laser nanoantenna

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a new photonic device that uses an optical antenna to concentrate light and improve spatial resolution, leading to increased storage density in optical data storage platforms. The device could also be used in biology and engineering applications such as microscopy and spectroscopy.

SourceHarvard University·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateSep 6, 2006

Harvard, Texas A&M scientists develop new laser

Researchers have created a novel Raman laser that combines the pump source and material into a single device, enhancing efficiency by 30% and reducing size. The 'matryoshka' design enables tuning of the pump laser radiation to strong electronic resonance in the material, boosting gain by five orders of magnitude.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalNature·DateMar 23, 2005

New focus award finalists announced

The New Focus Student Awards recognize groundbreaking research by six finalists, including Seth Aubin's work on francium trapping, E. Staffan Björlin's vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers, and Michael J. Escuti's switchable mesoscale lattices in liquid crystal polymer dispersions.

SourceOptica·DateApr 25, 2002