Laser science
From ArticleWorld
Laser science is that branch of optics that deals with the theoretical study and practical use of lasers. The science basically revolves around quantum electronics and allied areas such as nonlinear optics and quantum optics.
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The basic concept of lasers
The laser is a device that produces and amplifies light to a very intense and accurately directed beam. The word 'laser' is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers are used in vast applications across the various realms of technology and can be used to generate beams from the infrared through the X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The underlying principle
Lasers generate intense light beams by confining energy in electrons and further inducing the electrons to give out concentrated beams of light. Lasers produce single colors of light which can be classified according to the medium which is used to produce the beam. These are solid-state, gas, liquid, semiconductor and free electron.
Study of lasers
The applications of lasers are vastly varied and continue to be researched in leading institutes across the globe. Important applications include reading bar codes, compact disc players, laser printers, production of three-dimensional holograms and military uses like laser-guided munitions. Uses of lasers are limited only by imagination. This has made it very important to maintain continued research in laser science, with the primary aim of not just improving the performance of existing laser-based devices but also to come up with new technological innovations.
The roots of laser science
The underlying principle of lasers was first proposed in 1917 by the German scientist Albert Einstein. However, a practical form of stimulated emission was prepared only after several decades of research. American physicists Charles Hard Townes and Arthur Leonard Schawlow were pioneers in that circle. It was another American physicist Gordon Gould who in the late 1950s came up with new ideas and coined the word 'laser'. The first working laser was made by physicist Theodore Maiman , who demonstrated it with a ruby rod.
A boost to scientific research
Scientists have been able to conduct experiments using the monochromatic and intense laser beams which would otherwise have been impossible. The molecular structures of matter can be observed by accurate measurements of the scattering and color shifts involved in the laser beams that are used for the purpose. Complex chemical reactions can be initiated and trace amounts of substances can be ascertained using laser technology.
Laser science and fields of engineering
Laser science has been developed for the reliable study of air pollution as well. It is necessary in most engineering fields, with communication engineering being one such example. Optical fiber methods of signal transmission continue to be developed as an excellent means of communication through telephone and computer networks.
Earthquake engineering, though indirectly, relies on laser technology that determines the nature of plate tectonics and the small movements that are associated with them.