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SC Laser Beam Sharpened

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 28, 2008 -- A highly directional semiconductor (SC) laser has been developed that could be used for long range chemical sensing in the atmosphere, including homeland security and environmental monitoring, without requiring bulky collimating optics. Applied scientists at Harvard University, in collaboration with researchers from Hamamatsu Photonics in Hamamatsu City, Japan, are the first to demonstrate highly directional semiconductor lasers with a much smaller beam divergence than conventional ones, opening the door to a wide range of applications in photonics and communications. Spearheaded by...Read full article

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    Published: July 2008
    Glossary
    beam
    1. A bundle of light rays that may be parallel, converging or diverging. 2. A concentrated, unidirectional stream of particles. 3. A concentrated, unidirectional flow of electromagnetic waves.
    collimator
    An optical instrument consisting of a well- corrected objective lens or mirror with a light source and or object/image (i.e. illuminated slit or retical) at its focal plane. Collimators are used to calibrate and align optical devices and elements, determine focal lengths, as well as replicate and project an source/object or image to infinity.
    divergence
    1. In optics, the bending of rays away from each other. 2. In lasers, the spreading of a laser beam with increased distance from the exit aperture. Also called beam spread. 3. In a binocular instrument, the horizontal angular disparity between the two lines of sight.
    nano
    An SI prefix meaning one billionth (10-9). Nano can also be used to indicate the study of atoms, molecules and other structures and particles on the nanometer scale. Nano-optics (also referred to as nanophotonics), for example, is the study of how light and light-matter interactions behave on the nanometer scale. See nanophotonics.
    optical communications
    The transmission and reception of information by optical devices and sensors.
    photonics
    The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The science includes light emission, transmission, deflection, amplification and detection by optical components and instruments, lasers and other light sources, fiber optics, electro-optical instrumentation, related hardware and electronics, and sophisticated systems. The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to detection to communications and...
    quantum cascade laser
    A quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on the principles of quantum mechanics. It is a versatile and powerful device used for emitting coherent light in the mid-infrared to terahertz range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Quantum cascade lasers were first proposed by Federico Capasso, Jerome Faist, Deborah Sivco, Carlo Sirtori, Albert Hutchinson, and Alfred Cho in 1994. Key features and principles of quantum cascade lasers: Quantum cascade...
    waveguide
    A waveguide is a physical structure or device that is designed to confine and guide electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves, microwaves, or light waves. It is commonly used in communication systems, radar systems, and other applications where the controlled transmission of electromagnetic waves is crucial. The basic function of a waveguide is to provide a path for the propagation of electromagnetic waves while minimizing the loss of energy. Waveguides come in various shapes and sizes, and...
    wavelength
    Electromagnetic energy is transmitted in the form of a sinusoidal wave. The wavelength is the physical distance covered by one cycle of this wave; it is inversely proportional to frequency.
    Basic SciencebeamcollimatorCommunicationsdefensedivergenceFederico Capassofiber opticsHamamatsu PhotonicsHavardnanoNews & Featuresoptical communicationsphotonicsquantum cascade lasersemiconductor laserssemiconductorssurface plasmonsWaveguidewavelengthLasers

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