Researchers from the University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences have figured out a way to get high energy laser light beams to travel farther than ever before. High intensity laser beam pulses aren’t the same as commercially available laser pointers, because they react differently when they move through the air and create what are known as optic filaments.
Researchers from the University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences have figured out a way to get high energy laser light beams to travel farther than ever before.
High intensity laser beam pulses aren’t the same as commercially available laser pointers, because they react differently when they move through the air and create what are known as optical filaments.
These filaments lose their energy quickly and can’t travel very far without dissipating.
In order to make the high intensity laser beam travel farther, researchers embedded it inside another less intense light beam, which allowed it to reach over seven feet, compared to the roughly eight inches on its own.
The dimmer beam extended the more powerful laser by giving it a little more energy than it had while shining by itself.
Other studies that used the same technique to extend high energy laser beam pulses have been able to double the reach of the laser.
This kind of technology could be used in the future in a variety of different ways, like diverting lightning away from buildings, as part of a long distance sensor, or as a spectrometer that can identify chemicals.
