New tabletop VUV laser 1,000× more efficient could improve nanoelectronics research and enable practical nuclear clocks.
Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have demonstrated a new type of vacuum ultraviolet laser that is 100 to 1,000 times more efficient than existing technologies. The device could allow scientists to observe processes currently beyond the reach of powerful microscopes and help advance ultra-precise nuclear clocks .
The research team says the laser can generate bright light in the vacuum ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, an area scientists have struggled to access with practical systems.Such lasers could allow researchers to track chemical reactions in real time, detect microscopic defects in nanoelectronics, and study materials with much higher resolution than before.The device is compact enough to sit on a desk, a major shift from existing systems that often require large laboratory setups.Breaking the VUV barrierThe work is led by physicists Henry Kapteyn and Margaret Murnane of JILA, a joint institute of the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.“Scientists have been working toward vacuum ultraviolet lasers for decades,” Kapteyn said. “We think we might have finally found a great route that can be scaled in power, and that is compact in size.”Visible light wavelengths range from about 380 to 750 nanometers. Vacuum ultraviolet wavelengths are much shorter, roughly 100 to 200 nanometers, allowing scientists to see much smaller structures.“Shorter wavelengths matter because you can use them to make higher resolution microscopes,” Murnane said.But generating stable and powerful light in this region has proven difficult because most materials strongly absorb it.To overcome this challenge, the team combined red and blue laser beams and passed them through a specialized chamber called an anti-resonant hollow core fiber.Inside the fiber, the laser light interacts with xenon gas atoms. The atoms absorb the incoming light and re-emit it at much shorter wavelengths, producing vacuum ultraviolet radiation.“To our knowledge, no other approach, either at big or small facilities, has the VUV power levels, tuning ranges and coherence that our new approach has shown,” Murnane said.Clocks beyond atomic precisionThe laser could also help build practical nuclear clocks, a long-sought technology that measures time using transitions inside atomic nuclei rather than electrons.These clocks would rely on thorium atoms, which oscillate in energy when illuminated with light at a specific wavelength.Murnane explained that thorium atoms “tick” only when exposed to light at 148.3821 nanometers, a wavelength that falls within the vacuum ultraviolet range.Today, producing this light typically requires room-sized laser systems. A compact tabletop source could make nuclear clocks more practical and portable.Such clocks could enable navigation without GPS, improve space missions, and support searches for planets beyond our solar system.The researchers also say the laser could benefit industries that depend on nanoelectronics, including semiconductor manufacturing, by helping engineers detect extremely small defects in chips.The team plans to continue refining the design and making the system smaller and more efficient.The researchers will present their findings at the APS Global Physics Summit.
Nanoelectronics Nuclear Clocks Photonics Research Tabletop Laser Thorium Clock Transition VUV Laser Xenon Gas Laser
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Fuerza Regida Kicks Off Ambitious New Year with New Album, Expansion, and Stadium Tour PlansFuerza Regida, the popular música mexicana band, is back in action in Rancho Cucamonga, California, after the holidays. They are planning an innovative new album, expanding their Street Mob Records label, and a summer stadium tour. The band, led by Jesús Ortíz Paz (JOP), is focused on their ambitious agenda and aims to redefine the genre with their unique blend of traditional instrumentation and modern marketing.
Read more »
CBS New York Book Club Announces 'Whidbey' by T Kira Madden as New SelectionThe CBS New York Book Club has chosen 'Whidbey' by T Kira Madden as its new selection. This novel explores themes of revenge, trauma, and the justice system, connecting to the Tri-State Area. Join the book club for discussions.
Read more »
New Yoshi Game Finally Gets a Release Date (And New Gameplay Trailer)At long last, we know exactly when Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is bringing a new platforming adventure to the Nintendo Switch 2.
Read more »
New York State Legislature supports increasing taxes on New York City's wealthiestMayor Zohran Mamdani, who has made tax increases on the wealthiest a signature proposal, said he agrees with the move.
Read more »
Bon Jovi’s New Jersey Rock & Roll Story to Be Told in New BiopicA new musical biopic about Bon Jovi is on the way, with involvement from the group's leader and founder, Jon Bon Jovi.
Read more »
1,000x faster computers: ‘Invisible magnets’ could boost speed using light pulsesThe Japanese-German project aims to control invisible antiferromagnets with light and make advanced computers 1,000 times faster.
Read more »